Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is a local authenticated vulnerability in Tenable Nessus and Nessus Agent for Windows. Someone who already has valid Windows credentials could abuse affected versions to copy a malicious user-supplied file into a system directory. It is not described as remotely exploitable, and the provided sources do not show active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat this as a moderate-priority endpoint and server hygiene issue. It requires local credentials, so it is less urgent than a remote vulnerability, but affected scanner infrastructure should be corrected because attackers often use local flaws after initial compromise.
Technical view
CVE-2020-5793 affects Nessus for Windows 8.9.0 through 8.12.0 and Nessus Agent for Windows 8.0.0 and 8.1.0. The issue involves copying attacker-controlled files to a specially constructed path in a specifically named user directory, enabling placement into a system directory by an authenticated local attacker.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to Windows systems running the listed Nessus or Nessus Agent versions. The attacker must already have valid credentials on the Windows host, reducing internet-facing risk but increasing concern on shared workstations, servers, or compromised endpoints.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not cite CISA KEV listing or any active exploitation evidence. The practical risk is post-authentication local abuse after credential access, not unauthenticated remote compromise.
Researcher notes
The provided evidence identifies affected Windows versions and local authenticated file-copy behavior, but does not include CVSS, CWE, fixed version details, or exploit-in-the-wild evidence. Avoid assuming broader Tenable products, non-Windows platforms, or unauthenticated attack paths.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory Windows hosts running Nessus or Nessus Agent.
- Review Tenable TNS-2020-07 and TNS-2020-08 for vendor-approved fixed versions.
- Upgrade or remove affected builds according to Tenable guidance.
- Restrict local access to systems running affected Tenable software.
- Monitor protected system directories for unexpected file writes.
Validation and detection
- Check installed Nessus and Nessus Agent versions on Windows hosts.
- Confirm whether any host runs Nessus 8.9.0 through 8.12.0.
- Confirm whether any host runs Nessus Agent 8.0.0 or 8.1.0.
- Review local account access on affected Windows systems.
- Verify remediation against Tenable advisory guidance.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
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.
CVE-2020-5793 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
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.
CVSS and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.tenable.com/security/tns-2020-07CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://www.tenable.com/security/tns-2020-08CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.