---
id: "CVE-2020-11651"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2020-11651"]
title: "SaltStack Salt: SaltStack Salt Authentication Bypass Vulnerability"
severity: "critical"
cvss: 9.8
epss: 0.96614
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: [{"name": "SaltStack Salt", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: ["vendor"]
tags: ["exploited", "infrastructure", "infrastructure-automation", "salt-master", "saltstack", "self-hosted"]
not_affected_if: ["default-config"]
published_at: "2020-04-30T17:15:12+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:34+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "kev", "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2020-11651", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00"}, {"source": "epss", "url": "https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2020-11651", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:13:43+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-11651", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:34+00:00"}]
---

# SaltStack Salt: SaltStack Salt Authentication Bypass Vulnerability

SaltStack Salt's salt-master ClearFuncs component does not validate method calls, so a remote user can call some methods without logging in. An attacker can retrieve user tokens from the salt master and run commands on salt minions.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- vendor:SaltStack Salt affected ? fixed ?

## Fix

Upgrade SaltStack Salt to a patched release per vendor instructions; exact fixed versions are not stated in the sources.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00 kev https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2020-11651
- 2026-10-23T19:13:43+00:00 epss https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2020-11651
- 2026-10-23T21:57:34+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-11651

## From the sources

SaltStack Salt contains an authentication bypass vulnerability in the salt-master process ClearFuncs due to improperly validating method calls. The vulnerability allows a remote user to access some methods without authentication, which can be used to retrieve user tokens from the salt master and/or run commands on salt minions. Salt users who follow fundamental internet security guidelines and best practices are not affected by this vulnerability.

CISA required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_