SyncopeApplication · Apache
CVE-2020-1961
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 · uneditedVulnerability to Server-Side Template Injection on Mail templates for Apache Syncope 2.0.X releases prior to 2.0.15, 2.1.X releases prior to 2.1.6, enabling attackers to inject arbitrary JEXL expressions, leading to Remote Code Execution (RCE) was discovered.
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 confidenceApache Syncope versions prior to 2.0.15 and 2.1.6 contain a Server-Side Template Injection (SSTI) vulnerability in mail template handling. Attackers can inject arbitrary JEXL expressions through unsanitized mail templates, leading to arbitrary code execution on the server.
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
SyncopeApplication
>= 2.0.0, < 2.0.15>= 2.1.0, < 2.1.6CVSS 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
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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.
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Identify Apache Syncope versionCheck the Syncope installation directory for version information, typically found in a version.properties file, or query the /syncope/rest/self() API endpoint which returns version details in the responseAffected if The installed version is 2.0.0 through 2.0.14, or 2.1.0 through 2.1.5 (versions prior to 2.0.15 or 2.1.6)
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Locate mail template configurationNavigate to the configuration directory where mail templates are stored; in Syncope these are typically under conf/mail-templates or similar paths in the deployment directory, or accessible via the admin console under Configuration > Mail TemplatesAffected if Mail template configuration is accessible and configurable in the environment
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Inspect mail template files for unsanitized inputExamine all .html or .txt mail template files in the template directory; look for JEXL expressions within ${...} syntax that may contain suspicious commands or function calls not part of standard template variablesAffected if Any mail template contains JEXL expressions that could execute arbitrary code, such as calls to Java methods or system commands
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Check for recent unauthorized modificationsReview audit logs or file system modification timestamps on mail template directories to identify any unexpected changes made outside of normal administrative workflowsAffected if Mail templates were modified without documented authorization or outside of known change management processes
You are affected if your Apache Syncope version is prior to 2.0.15 or 2.1.6 AND mail template configuration is accessible, as the SSTI vulnerability requires both the vulnerable version and the ability to configure mail templates.
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.
dbcve · scoped2.0.152.1.6
Upgrade Apache Syncope to version 2.0.15, 2.1.6, or later. As an interim measure, restrict access to mail template configuration interfaces and validate all template expressions before processing.
Upgrade to Syncope 2.0.15 (if on 2.0.x branch) or 2.1.6 (if on 2.1.x branch)
- Backup your current Apache Syncope installation and database before upgrading
- Identify your current Syncope version (2.0.x or 2.1.x branch)
- For 2.0.x installations: Upgrade to version 2.0.15
- For 2.1.x installations: Upgrade to version 2.1.6
- Apply the upgrade following the standard Syncope upgrade documentation (stop service, deploy new WAR, run migrations if required, restart service)
- Verify the upgrade was successful by checking the Syncope admin console and confirming the version number
- Test that mail templates functionality works correctly post-upgrade
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Syncope
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,328.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2020-1961 — 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-2020-1961 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
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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