MEDIUM
CVE-2020-14002
CWE-203Published: June 29, 2020· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
5.9
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
PuTTY 0.68 through 0.73 has an Observable Discrepancy leading to an information leak in the algorithm negotiation. This allows man-in-the-middle attackers to target initial connection attempts (where no host key for the server has been cached by the client).
Technical Analysis
CVE-2020-14002 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.
A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), with a CVSS base score of 5.9.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityHigh
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (14)
→
https://lists.tartarus.org/pipermail/putty-announce/Third Party Advisory
→
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20200717-0003/Third Party Advisory
→
https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/changes.htmlRelease Notes · Third Party Advisory
→
→
https://lists.tartarus.org/pipermail/putty-announce/Third Party Advisory
→
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20200717-0003/Third Party Advisory
→
https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/changes.htmlRelease Notes · Third Party Advisory
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2020-14002
CVSS Score5.9 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-203
CISA KEVNo
Affected3 vendor(s)
PublishedJun 29, 2020
Related CVEs (CWE-203)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2020-14002 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWatch. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.