What is CVE-2020-15113?

CVE-2020-15113 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in github.com/etcd-io/etcd (go), affecting versions >= 3.4.0-rc.0, < 3.4.10. It is fixed in 3.4.10, 3.3.23.

How severe is CVE-2020-15113?

CVE-2020-15113 has a CVSS score of 5.7 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.

Which versions of github.com/etcd-io/etcd are affected by CVE-2020-15113?

github.com/etcd-io/etcd (go) versions >= 3.4.0-rc.0, < 3.4.10 is affected.

Is there a fix for CVE-2020-15113?

Yes. CVE-2020-15113 is fixed in 3.4.10, 3.3.23. Upgrade to this version or later.

Is CVE-2020-15113 exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether CVE-2020-15113 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk.

What actually determines whether CVE-2020-15113 is exploitable, and how bad it is?

Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.

CVE-2020-15113 in github.com/etcd-io/etcd

Q: How severe is CVE-2020-15113?

CVE-2020-15113 has a CVSS score of 5.7 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.

Q: Which versions of github.com/etcd-io/etcd are affected by CVE-2020-15113?

github.com/etcd-io/etcd (go) versions >= 3.4.0-rc.0, < 3.4.10 is affected.

Q: Is there a fix for CVE-2020-15113?

Yes. CVE-2020-15113 is fixed in 3.4.10, 3.3.23. Upgrade to this version or later.

Q: Is CVE-2020-15113 exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether CVE-2020-15113 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk.

Q: What actually determines whether CVE-2020-15113 is exploitable, and how bad it is?

Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.

Q: How do I fix CVE-2020-15113?

Upgrade: github.com/etcd-io/etcd to 3.4.10 or later, github.com/etcd-io/etcd to 3.3.23 or later.

Summary

Improper Preservation of Permissions in etcd

Vulnerability type

Access Controls

Detail

etcd creates certain directory paths (etcd data directory and the directory path when provided to automatically generate self-signed certificates for TLS connections with clients) with restricted access permissions (700) by using the os.MkdirAll. This function does not perform any permission checks when a given directory path exists already.

Specific Go Package Affected

github.com/etcd-io/etcd/pkg/fileutil

Workarounds

Make sure these directories have the desired permit (700).

References

Find out more on this vulnerability in the security audit report

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:

Contact the etcd security committee

Impact

CVE-2020-15113 has a CVSS score of 5.7 (Medium). The vector is requires local access, high privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (3.4.10, 3.3.23); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Affected versions

github.com/etcd-io/etcd (>= 3.4.0-rc.0, < 3.4.10) github.com/etcd-io/etcd (< 3.3.23)

Security releases

github.com/etcd-io/etcd → 3.4.10 (go) github.com/etcd-io/etcd → 3.3.23 (go)

Kodem intelligence

Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.

Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.

Already deployed Kodem?

See it in your environment New to Kodem? Get a demo →

Remediation advice

Upgrade the following packages to resolve this vulnerability:

github.com/etcd-io/etcd to 3.4.10 or later; github.com/etcd-io/etcd to 3.3.23 or later

Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-15113? CVE-2020-15113 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in github.com/etcd-io/etcd (go), affecting versions >= 3.4.0-rc.0, < 3.4.10. It is fixed in 3.4.10, 3.3.23.
How severe is CVE-2020-15113? CVE-2020-15113 has a CVSS score of 5.7 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
Which versions of github.com/etcd-io/etcd are affected by CVE-2020-15113? github.com/etcd-io/etcd (go) versions >= 3.4.0-rc.0, < 3.4.10 is affected.
Is there a fix for CVE-2020-15113? Yes. CVE-2020-15113 is fixed in 3.4.10, 3.3.23. Upgrade to this version or later.
Is CVE-2020-15113 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2020-15113 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
What actually determines whether CVE-2020-15113 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
How do I fix CVE-2020-15113?
- Upgrade github.com/etcd-io/etcd to 3.4.10 or later
- Upgrade github.com/etcd-io/etcd to 3.3.23 or later

Other vulnerabilities in github.com/etcd-io/etcd

CVE-IDSeverityPackage summary

CVE-2023-32082Lowgithub.com/etcd-io/etcd: etcd Key name can be accessed via LeaseTimeToLive API