CVE-2020-8144
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 · uneditedThe UniFi Video Server v3.9.3 and prior (for Windows 7/8/10 x64) web interface Firmware Update functionality, under certain circumstances, does not validate firmware download destinations to ensure they are within the intended destination directory tree. It accepts a request with a URL to firmware update information. If the version field contains ..\ character sequences, the destination file path to save the firmware can be manipulated to be outside the intended destination directory tree. Fixed in UniFi Video Controller v3.10.3 and newer.
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 UniFi Video Server v3.9.3 and prior web interface Firmware Update function lacks path traversal validation, allowing attackers to manipulate the version field with '..\' sequences to write firmware files outside the intended destination directory tree.
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<= 3.9.3CVSS 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
- Adjacent
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- High
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/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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Confirm UniFi Video Server is installedCheck system services or installed programs for 'UniFi Video' or 'Ubiquiti' related services. On Windows, check Services.msc; on Linux, run 'ps aux | grep unifi' or check for the service process.Affected if UniFi Video Server process or service is found running on the system
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Identify the installed versionAccess the web management interface and check the About/Dashboard page for the firmware version, or check the installed package/version through the system package manager or application logs.Affected if The version displayed is 3.9.3 or any earlier version (e.g., 3.9.2, 3.9.1, etc.)
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Verify the web interface is accessibleAttempt to reach the UniFi Video web interface on the default ports (typically 7080, 7443, or 80/443) from the network or locally using a browser.Affected if The web interface responds and shows the UniFi Video login or dashboard
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Check if Firmware Update function is exposedLog into the web interface and navigate to the Settings or System menu to locate the Firmware Update option, or check if the /firmware or /update endpoints are accessible.Affected if The Firmware Update function is present and accessible in the web interface
If UniFi Video Server version 3.9.3 or earlier is installed AND the web interface with Firmware Update functionality is accessible, the environment is affected by CVE-2020-8144.
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 dataUpdate UniFi Video Controller to v3.10.3 or newer. If immediate patching is not possible, restrict network access to the management interface to minimize exposure.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation6.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA3.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2020-8144 — 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-2020-8144 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
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data