---
id: "CVE-2020-3433"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2020-3433"]
title: "A vulnerability in the interprocess communication (IPC) channel of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for\u2026"
severity: "high"
cvss: 7.8
epss: null
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: [{"name": "Cisco AnyConnect Secure", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "cisco anyconnect secure mobility client", "fixed": ["4.9.00086"], "affected": "< 4.9.00086", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: ["vendor"]
tags: ["cisco-anyconnect", "endpoints", "exploited", "infrastructure", "ransomware", "windows"]
not_affected_if: ["no-anyconnect-client", "non-windows"]
published_at: "2020-08-17T18:15:12+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "kev", "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2020-3433", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-3433", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00"}]
---

# A vulnerability in the interprocess communication (IPC) channel of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for…

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows loads resources at run time without validating them properly in its interprocess communication channel. An attacker with valid local credentials on a Windows machine can run code as SYSTEM.

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

## Affected

- vendor:Cisco AnyConnect Secure affected ? fixed ?
- vendor:cisco anyconnect secure mobility client affected < 4.9.00086 fixed 4.9.00086

## Fix

Apply the Cisco updates per vendor instructions (CISA required action); specific fixed versions are unknown from the sources.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00 kev https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2020-3433
- 2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-3433

## From the sources

A vulnerability in the interprocess communication (IPC) channel of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for Windows could allow an authenticated, local attacker to perform a DLL hijacking attack. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to have valid credentials on the Windows system. The vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of resources that are loaded by the application at run time. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted IPC message to the AnyConnect process. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected machine with SYSTEM privileges. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to have valid credentials on the Windows system.

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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_