CVE-2020-27181
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 · uneditedA hardcoded AES key in CipherUtils.java in the Java applet of konzept-ix publiXone before 2020.015 allows attackers to craft password-reset tokens or decrypt server-side configuration files.
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 confidenceA hardcoded AES encryption key was discovered in CipherUtils.java of the konzept-ix publiXone Java applet (versions before 2020.015). Since the key is embedded in the source code, any attacker who obtains the applet bytecode can extract the key and use it to forge valid password-reset tokens (authentication bypass) or decrypt sensitive server-side configuration files (confidentiality breach).
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< 2020.015CVSS 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
- Low
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/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.
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Identify if publixone applet is deployedSearch the application server or codebase for files named publiXone, publixone, or Java applet-related JAR/class files. Check web application directories for applet references.Affected if The publixone Java applet is present in the environment
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Determine the applets versionInspect the JAR file manifest (META-INF/MANIFEST.MF) or any version configuration files for a version number. Compare against 2020.015.Affected if Version is below 2020.015 or version information cannot be determined (unknown version assumed vulnerable)
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Locate CipherUtils.java or compiled classSearch for the file CipherUtils.java in source code repositories, or the compiled CipherUtils.class in deployed JAR/WAR archives.Affected if CipherUtils file exists in the applets codebase
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Check for hardcoded AES key in source or bytecodeIf source is available, inspect CipherUtils.java for a hardcoded AES key string (typically 16, 24, or 32 character hex or Base64 string). If only bytecode is available, decompile CipherUtils.class and search for embedded key constants.Affected if A hardcoded AES key string is found embedded in CipherUtils code
The environment is affected if the konzept-ix publixone applet is deployed with a version prior to 2020.015 and CipherUtils.java or its compiled class contains an embedded AES encryption key.
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 data2020.015
Replace the hardcoded AES key with a securely generated key stored externally (e.g., secure configuration file, environment variable, or secrets vault), implement proper key rotation, and invalidate any potentially compromised tokens or re-encrypt configuration data with the new key.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation16.0 h
- Testing8.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $8,960.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2020-27181 — 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-2020-27181 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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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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