HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2020-8240
HIGH

CVE-2020-8240

NVD-CWE-noinfoPublished: October 28, 2020· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

A vulnerability in the Pulse Secure Desktop Client < 9.1R9 allows a restricted user on an endpoint machine can use system-level privileges if the Embedded Browser is configured with Credential Provider. This vulnerability only affects Windows PDC if the Embedded Browser is configured with the Credential Provider.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2020-8240 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.8.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

pulsesecure1 product(s)
pulse secure desktop client
Source: NVD CPE · 2 total CPE entries

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

ADVISORYhttps://kb.pulsesecure.net/articles/Pulse_Security_Advisories/SA44601
ADVISORYhttps://kb.pulsesecure.net/articles/Pulse_Security_Advisories/SA44601

All References (2)

→
https://kb.pulsesecure.net/articles/Pulse_Security_Advisories/SA44601Vendor Advisory
→
https://kb.pulsesecure.net/articles/Pulse_Security_Advisories/SA44601Vendor Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2020-8240
CVSS Score7.8 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessNVD-CWE-noinfo
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedOct 28, 2020

Related CVEs (NVD-CWE-noinfo)

CVE-2009-3818
10.0
CVE-2009-3819
10.0
CVE-2009-1985
10.0
CVE-2009-1992
10.0
CVE-2009-3403
10.0
CVE-2009-3377
10.0

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2020-8240 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.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.
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