What is CVE-2020-7385?

CVE-2020-7385 is a high-severity insecure deserialization vulnerability in metasploit-framework (rubygems), affecting versions < 4.19.0. It is fixed in 4.19.0. Untrusted serialized data is processed by a deserializer that can instantiate arbitrary objects or execute code as a side effect.

How severe is CVE-2020-7385?

CVE-2020-7385 has a CVSS score of 8.1 (High). 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 metasploit-framework are affected by CVE-2020-7385?

metasploit-framework (rubygems) versions < 4.19.0 is affected.

Is there a fix for CVE-2020-7385?

Yes. CVE-2020-7385 is fixed in 4.19.0. Upgrade to this version or later.

Is CVE-2020-7385 exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether CVE-2020-7385 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-2020-7385 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-2020-7385 in metasploit-framework

Q: How severe is CVE-2020-7385?

CVE-2020-7385 has a CVSS score of 8.1 (High). 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 metasploit-framework are affected by CVE-2020-7385?

metasploit-framework (rubygems) versions < 4.19.0 is affected.

Q: Is there a fix for CVE-2020-7385?

Yes. CVE-2020-7385 is fixed in 4.19.0. Upgrade to this version or later.

Q: Is CVE-2020-7385 exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether CVE-2020-7385 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-2020-7385 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-2020-7385?

Upgrade metasploit-framework to 4.19.0 or later.

Summary

Metasploit Framework user exposes Metasploit to same deserialization issue that is exploited by that module

By launching the drb_remote_codeexec exploit, a Metasploit Framework user will inadvertently expose Metasploit to the same deserialization issue that is exploited by that module, due to the reliance on the vulnerable Distributed Ruby class functions. Since Metasploit Framework typically runs with elevated privileges, this can lead to a system compromise on the Metasploit workstation. Note that an attacker would have to lie in wait and entice the Metasploit user to run the affected module against a malicious endpoint in a "hack-back" type of attack. Metasploit is only vulnerable when the drb_remote_codeexec module is running. In most cases, this cannot happen automatically.

Impact

Untrusted serialized data is processed by a deserializer that can instantiate arbitrary objects or execute code as a side effect. Typical impact: arbitrary code execution or logic abuse.

CVE-2020-7385 has a CVSS score of 8.1 (High). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and user interaction required. 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 (4.19.0); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Affected versions

metasploit-framework (< 4.19.0)

Security releases

metasploit-framework → 4.19.0 (rubygems)

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.

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Remediation advice

Upgrade metasploit-framework to 4.19.0 or later to resolve this vulnerability.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-7385? CVE-2020-7385 is a high-severity insecure deserialization vulnerability in metasploit-framework (rubygems), affecting versions < 4.19.0. It is fixed in 4.19.0. Untrusted serialized data is processed by a deserializer that can instantiate arbitrary objects or execute code as a side effect.
How severe is CVE-2020-7385? CVE-2020-7385 has a CVSS score of 8.1 (High). 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 metasploit-framework are affected by CVE-2020-7385? metasploit-framework (rubygems) versions < 4.19.0 is affected.
Is there a fix for CVE-2020-7385? Yes. CVE-2020-7385 is fixed in 4.19.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
Is CVE-2020-7385 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2020-7385 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-2020-7385 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-2020-7385? Upgrade metasploit-framework to 4.19.0 or later.