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CVE Record

CVE-2020-4340: IBM Security Secret Server prior to 10.9 could allow an attacker to bypass SSL security due to improper cer...

IBM Security Secret Server prior to 10.9 could allow an attacker to bypass SSL security due to improper certificate validation. IBM X-Force ID: 178180.

LowCVSS 3.1Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysislow

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

IBM Security Secret Server versions before 10.9, including 10.8, may not properly validate SSL certificates. In practical terms, a successful attack could weaken trust in encrypted connections and affect integrity, but the published CVSS score is low and requires user interaction with high attack complexity.

Executive priority

Treat as a low-priority remediation item unless the product is exposed in sensitive workflows or cannot be upgraded. It should be tracked to closure, but it does not currently justify emergency response based on the provided evidence.

Technical view

CVE-2020-4340 is an improper certificate validation issue in IBM Security Secret Server prior to 10.9. The CVSS 3.0 vector is AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N, indicating network reachability, high complexity, required user interaction, no confidentiality or availability impact, and low integrity impact.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to IBM Security Secret Server deployments running versions prior to 10.9, with 10.8 explicitly listed in the source bundle. Organizations not using this product, or already on 10.9 or later, are not indicated as affected by the provided sources.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show known active exploitation. The CVE is not marked as CISA KEV, and the CVSS exploit maturity value is unproven. Attack success is constrained by high complexity and required user interaction.

Researcher notes

The public details are sparse: the sources identify improper certificate validation and SSL security bypass, but do not describe attack mechanics, exact trust boundary, or configuration prerequisites. Avoid assumptions beyond affected versions, CVSS characteristics, and IBM/X-Force references.

Mitigation direction

  • Confirm whether IBM Security Secret Server is deployed and identify exact versions.
  • Review IBM advisory guidance for the supported corrective action.
  • Upgrade affected deployments to version 10.9 or later where applicable.
  • Prioritize systems exposed to untrusted networks or user-driven connection flows.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Secret Server instances and compare versions against the affected range.
  • Confirm no production instance remains on version 10.8 or earlier affected releases.
  • Review change records for upgrade completion or accepted risk exceptions.
  • Monitor IBM and X-Force entries for any revised guidance or exploitation evidence.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
4

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

description · low confidence lookup

Credential and access behavior lookup

The CVE wording references authentication or credential exposure, so valid-account and credential-access review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2020-4340 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Low
CVSS
3.1 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.0/UI:R/PR:N/I:L/A:N/AV:N/S:U/C:N/AC:H/RL:O/E:U/RC:C

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

1CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
3Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
3.1CVSS 3.0LowCVSS:3.0/UI:R/PR:N/I:L/A:N/AV:N/S:U/C:N/AC:H/RL:O/E:U/RC:C1.61.4Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

3.1Low
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2020-4340Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.0/UI:R/PR:N/I:L/A:N/AV:N/S:U/C:N/AC:H/RL:O/E:U/RC:C

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
IBMSecurity Secret Server10.8Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.