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TI-2020-18487 Aliases CVE-2020-36167GHSA-xwmw-hpfw-6rrp

An issue was discovered in the server in Veritas Backup Exec through 16.2, 20.6 before…

Priority MEDIUM 41CWE-434Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Code execution
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · High
Fix status
No fix listed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-434.

Summary

An issue was discovered in the server in Veritas Backup Exec through 16.2, 20.6 before hotfix 298543, and 21.1 before hotfix 657517. On start-up, it loads the OpenSSL library from the Installation folder. This library in turn attempts to load the /usr/local/ssl/openssl.cnf configuration file, which may not exist. On Windows systems, this path could translate to <drive>:\usr\local\ssl\openssl.cnf. A low privileged user can create a :\usr\local\ssl\openssl.cnf configuration file to load a malicious OpenSSL engine, resulting in arbitrary code execution as SYSTEM when the service starts. This gives the attacker administrator access on the system, allowing the attacker (by default) to access all data, access all installed applications, etc. If the system is also an Active Directory domain controller, then this can affect the entire domain.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.00482 41st percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet

SSVC decision points

Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
——all versions—No fix listedCNA
  • — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:veritas:backup_exec:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*20.0 to before 20.0.1188.2734; 21.0 to before 21.0.1200.1217VulnerableVeritas
  • cpe:2.3:a:veritas:backup_exec:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 20.0 to before 20.0.1188.2734; 21.0 to before 21.0.1200.1217 Vulnerable ·Veritas

Remediation

No fixed version listed by the sources yet.

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2020-36167
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-xwmw-hpfw-6rrp

References

Advisory 2

  • TI-2021-09222 An issue was discovered in Veritas Backup Exec before 21.2. KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2021-09223 An issue was discovered in Veritas Backup Exec before 21.2. KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2021-09221 An issue was discovered in Veritas Backup Exec before 21.2. KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
  • TI-2017-06392 In Veritas Backup Exec 2014 before build 14.1.1187.1126, 15 before build 14.2.1180.3160… CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2005-00716 VERITAS Backup Exec 9.0 through 10.0 for Windows Servers, and 9.0.4019 through 9.1.307… CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
  • TI-2024-22257 An issue was discovered in Veritas Backup Exec before 22.2 HotFix 917391. CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
See all 7 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences