Skip to main content
HIGH

CVE-2020-15778

CVSS v3

7.4

HIGH

EPSS Score

13.7 %

exploit probability, as of 2026-10-19

CISA KEV

No

known exploited

Exploitation

—

SSVC status

Get an alert for each new CVE published for openssh.

Set up CVE WatchFree account · no credit card

Affected and fixed versions

Packages from OSV.dev and products from the vendors' CSAF advisories.

version not verifiedVersions not verified: read as OSV.dev and the vendors publish them, not checked against each vendor's release list.

Packages

  • opensshAlmaLinux:8all versions · fixed in 8.0p1-24.el8and 6 other packages
  • pam_ssh_agent_authAlmaLinux:8all versions · fixed in 0.10.3-7.24.el8

Vendor advisories

  • CVE-2020-15778 Red Hat Product Security138 products fixed · 18 known affected

    openssh: scp allows command injection when using backtick characters in the destination argument

    openssh as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 · openssh as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 · openssh-askpass as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6

  • RHSA-2024:3166 Red Hat Product Security105 products fixed

    Red Hat Security Advisory: openssh security update

  • ICSA-23-348-10 CISA5 known affected

    Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500

    SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4AX00-1AB0) · SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4AX00-1AC0) · SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4FX00-1AB0)

  • SSA-398330 Siemens ProductCERT5 known affected

    SSA-398330: Vulnerabilities in the additional GNU/Linux subsystem of the SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518(F)-4 PN/DP MFP >= V3.1.0 and < V3.1.5

    SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4AX00-1AB0) >= V3.1.0 < V3.1.5 · SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4AX00-1AC0) >= V3.1.0 < V3.1.5 · SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4FX00-1AB0) >= V3.1.0 < V3.1.5

Full record on NVD

Description

scp in OpenSSH through 8.3p1 allows command injection in the scp.c toremote function, as demonstrated by backtick characters in the destination argument. NOTE: the vendor reportedly has stated that they intentionally omit validation of "anomalous argument transfers" because that could "stand a great chance of breaking existing workflows."

Technical details

Published
2020-07-24

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-15778?

scp in OpenSSH through 8.3p1 allows command injection in the scp.c toremote function, as demonstrated by backtick characters in the destination argument. NOTE: the vendor reportedly has stated that they intentionally omit validation of "anomalous argument transfers" because that could "stand a great chance of breaking existing workflows."

Is CVE-2020-15778 actively exploited?

Active exploitation of CVE-2020-15778 has not been confirmed. Its EPSS score was 13.7% on 2026-10-19, the estimated probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What is the CVSS score for CVE-2020-15778?

CVE-2020-15778 has a CVSS v3 base score of 7.4 (HIGH severity).

Running openssh? Hear about its next vulnerability

CVE Watch matches each new CVE to the vendors and products you list (vendor and product, not the version) and puts it in your alerts with its KEV and EPSS status.

Get alerts for this productCISA KEV additions, October 2026Search CVEs

Already have an account? Open CVE WatchNo credit card required · No monthly cap on website lookups · 250 API requests/month

Go further

Related vulnerabilities

Same product first, then the same vendor advisory and the same publication week.

Back to CVE Database