# CVE-2020-3153: Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows Uncontrolled Search Path Vulnerability

> CVE-2020-3153: Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows Uncontrolled Search Path Vulnerability. CVSS 6.5 (CVSS 3.1), in CISA KEV.

Canonical: https://rewindex.com/cve/CVE-2020-3153
Last updated: 2026-08-12T03:55:40Z

- Published: 2020-02-19 19:15 UTC · Updated: 2026-08-12 03:55 UTC · Assigner: cisco
- CVSS: 6.5 (CVSS 3.1) · Severity: Medium · Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
- EPSS: 28.3%, 98th percentile (scored 2026-10-25)
- CISA KEV: yes, added 2022-10-24, federal due date 2022-11-14, ransomware use: Known
- CWE: CWE-427

## Description

A vulnerability in the installer component of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows could allow an authenticated local attacker to copy user-supplied files to system level directories with system level privileges. The vulnerability is due to the incorrect handling of directory paths. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by creating a malicious file and copying the file to a system directory. An exploit could allow the attacker to copy malicious files to arbitrary locations with system level privileges. This could include DLL pre-loading, DLL hijacking, and other related attacks. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker needs valid credentials on the Windows system.

## CISA required action

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

## Affected vendors and products

- Cisco: Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client

## References

- [CVE record on cve.org](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-3153)
- [NVD entry](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-3153)
- [http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/157340/Cisco-AnyConnect-Secure-Mobility-Client-4.8.01090-Privilege-Escalation.html](http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/157340/Cisco-AnyConnect-Secure-Mobility-Client-4.8.01090-Privilege-Escalation.html)
- [http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158219/Cisco-AnyConnect-Path-Traversal-Privilege-Escalation.html](http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158219/Cisco-AnyConnect-Path-Traversal-Privilege-Escalation.html)
- [http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/159420/Cisco-AnyConnect-Privilege-Escalation.html](http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/159420/Cisco-AnyConnect-Privilege-Escalation.html)
- [http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Apr/43](http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Apr/43)
- [https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ac-win-path-traverse-qO4HWBsj](https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ac-win-path-traverse-qO4HWBsj)

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_Sources: CVE records from the CVE Program (cve.org). CVE® is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation. (https://www.cve.org/) This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. (https://nvd.nist.gov/) Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog from CISA. (https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog) EPSS scores from FIRST (Exploit Prediction Scoring System). (https://www.first.org/epss/)_


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Canonical: https://rewindex.com/cve/CVE-2020-3153 · Markdown: https://rewindex.com/cve/CVE-2020-3153.md · JSON: https://rewindex.com/api/v1/cves/CVE-2020-3153 · Data licensed CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) · Generated 2026-10-26T02:05:15.585Z