CVE-2020-36167: 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 l...

Description

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.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

8.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

0.46%

36.6th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-434

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Veritas	Backup Exec	>= 20.0, < 20.0.1188.2734
Veritas	Backup Exec	>= 21.0, < 21.0.1200.1217

References

https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/429301Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/security/VTS20-010Vendor Advisory
https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/429301Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource
https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/security/VTS20-010Vendor Advisory

Timeline

Published: Jan 6, 2021
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-36167?

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.

How severe is CVE-2020-36167?

CVE-2020-36167 has a CVSS score of 8.8/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.46% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2020-36167?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.