CVE-2019-20044
7.8 · HIGHOverview
CVE-2019-20044 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting zsh zsh. It was published on February 24, 2020 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
Technical Description
In Zsh before 5.8, attackers able to execute commands can regain privileges dropped by the --no-PRIVILEGED option. Zsh fails to overwrite the saved uid, so the original privileges can be restored by executing MODULE_PATH=/dir/with/module zmodload with a module that calls setuid().
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from zsh. Update zsh to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| zsh | zsh | >= 0, < 5.8 | Affected |
| apple | ipados | >= 0, < 13.5 | Affected |
| apple | iphone_os | >= 0, < 13.5 | Affected |
| apple | mac_os_x | >= 0, < 10.15.5 | Affected |
| apple | tvos | >= 0, < 13.4.5 | Affected |
| apple | watchos | >= 0, < 6.2.5 | Affected |
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2019-20044?
CVE-2019-20044 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting zsh zsh. It was published on February 24, 2020 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).
How severe is CVE-2019-20044?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2019-20044?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from zsh. Update zsh to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2019-20044?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2019-20044 across your infrastructure using autonomous pentesting, DAST scanning, and HackBrowser. The platform continuously monitors for known vulnerabilities and provides actionable remediation guidance prioritized by real-world exploitability.
How CyberStrike Helps
AI agents map your attack surface to find vulnerabilities like this one.
Automated penetration testing that runs continuously, not just quarterly.
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Browser-based exploitation validates findings with real proof-of-concept.
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