CVE-2020-26238: Critical vulnerability found in cron-utils

Published Nov 24, 2020
·
Updated

A flaw was found in cron-utils. End applications passing unsanitized user input which is subsequently parsed by the `@Cron` annotation can allow an attacker to execute arbitrary expressions using JavaEL which will be implicitly executed by the constraint validator. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to data confidentiality and integrity as well as system availability.

Affected Software

7 affected components
IBM Data Virtualization on Cloud Pak for Data<=3.0
IBM Watson Query on Cloud Pak for Data<=2.2
IBM Watson Query on Cloud Pak for Data<=2.1
IBM Watson Query on Cloud Pak for Data<=2.0
IBM Data Virtualization on Cloud Pak for Data<=1.8
IBM Data Virtualization on Cloud Pak for Data<=1.7
Cron-utils Project Cron-utils<9.1.3

Event History

Nov 24, 2020
CVE Published
12:00 AM
Data Sourced
12:00 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
CVE Published
via MITRE·11:50 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·11:50 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Nov 25, 2020
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·06:20 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Aug 15, 2025
Data Sourced
via IBM·03:29 PM
DescriptionAffected Software
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2020-26238?

CVE-2020-26238 is considered a high severity vulnerability due to the potential for arbitrary code execution through unsanitized user input.

2

How do I fix CVE-2020-26238?

To fix CVE-2020-26238, ensure you are using an updated version of cron-utils that is above 9.1.3 that sanitizes user input properly.

3

Which software is affected by CVE-2020-26238?

CVE-2020-26238 affects cron-utils versions up to 9.1.3 and IBM products including Data Virtualization and Watson Query on specific versions.

4

What type of attack can CVE-2020-26238 facilitate?

CVE-2020-26238 can facilitate arbitrary code execution attacks using JavaEL through unvalidated user input.

5

Are there any known exploits for CVE-2020-26238?

As of now, there are no widely reported exploits for CVE-2020-26238, but the vulnerability's nature poses a significant risk.

Contact

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