CVE-2020-11999
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedFactoryTalk Linx versions 6.00, 6.10, and 6.11, RSLinx Classic v4.11.00 and prior,Connected Components Workbench: Version 12 and prior, ControlFLASH: Version 14 and later, ControlFLASH Plus: Version 1 and later, FactoryTalk Asset Centre: Version 9 and later, FactoryTalk Linx CommDTM: Version 1 and later, Studio 5000 Launcher: Version 31 and later Stud, 5000 Logix Designer software: Version 32 and prior is vulnerable. An exposed API call allows users to provide files to be processed without sanitation. This may allow an attacker to specify a filename to execute unauthorized code and modify files or data.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThe vulnerability exists in multiple Rockwell Automation industrial software products (FactoryTalk Linx, RSLinx Classic, Connected Components Workbench, ControlFLASH, Studio 5000 Logix Designer, etc.) where an exposed API call accepts user-supplied filenames for file processing without proper input sanitization. This allows path traversal attacks and potential remote code execution by manipulating filename parameters to access unauthorized files or execute malicious code.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data= 6.00= 6.10= 6.11<= 4.11.00CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Identify installed Rockwell Automation softwareCheck system for installed Rockwell products - look in Programs and Features (Windows) or check C:\Program Files\Rockwell for product directories. Common product names: FactoryTalk Linx, RSLinx Classic, Connected Components Workbench, ControlFLASH, Studio 5000 Logix Designer.Affected if Any of the affected products (FactoryTalk Linx versions 6.00, 6.10, 6.11 or RSLinx Classic version 4.11.00 or earlier) are installed.
-
Verify installed product versionsRight-click each installed Rockwell product in Programs and Features, select Properties, and check the Version field. For command-line, run: wmic product where "name like '%Rockwell%'" get name,versionAffected if FactoryTalk Linx shows version 6.00, 6.10, or 6.11, OR RSLinx Classic shows version 4.11.00 or lower.
-
Confirm product services are runningOpen Services (services.msc) and check for Rockwell-related services. Look for: FactoryTalk Linx Service, RSLinx Classic Service, or similar. Also check Task Manager for running processes like Rslinx.exe, FTLinx.exe, or FactoryTalkLinx.exe.Affected if The vulnerable product service or process is actively running, exposing the API endpoint.
-
Assess network exposure of the APIRun 'netstat -an | findstr LISTENING' to see listening ports. Rockwell software often uses ports 5555, 8080, or proprietary ports. Check firewall rules: netsh advfirewall firewall show rule name=all | findstr /i rockwellAffected if The product listens on accessible network ports, allowing external attackers to reach the vulnerable API endpoint.
You are affected if FactoryTalk Linx (versions 6.00, 6.10, 6.11) or RSLinx Classic (version 4.11.00 or lower) is installed and the software service is running with network accessibility.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataImplement rigorous input validation and sanitization on all API endpoints that handle filenames, using allowlists and canonicalization to prevent path traversal sequences and restrict file operations to authorized directories only. Apply vendor-provided security patches to all affected product versions.
- Consultation8.0 h
- Implementation16.0 h
- Testing12.0 h
- Review / QA8.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $12,352.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2020-11999 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2020-11999 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data