CVE-2020-8709
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 · uneditedImproper authentication in socket services for some Intel(R) Server Boards, Server Systems and Compute Modules before version 2.45 may allow an unauthenticated user to potentially enable escalation of privilege via adjacent access.
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 confidenceThis is an authentication bypass vulnerability in socket services for Intel Server Boards, Systems, and Compute Modules. An unauthenticated attacker with adjacent network access (same network segment) can exploit improper authentication in the socket services to potentially escalate privileges. The vulnerability exists in versions prior to 2.45.
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< 2.45< 2.45< 2.45< 2.45< 2.45< 2.45< 2.45< 2.45CVSS 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
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/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 the Intel server hardware modelLocate the product label on the physical server chassis or check BMC inventory/FRU data. Common model numbers include S2600wt, S2600cw, S2600kp, S2600tp, Hns2600kp, Hns2600tp, R1000wt, or R2000wt.Affected if The model number matches one of the affected products listed in the CVE (S2600wt, S2600cw, S2600kp, S2600tp, Hns2600kp, Hns2600tp, R1000wt, R2000wt).
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Check the installed firmware versionAccess the BMC web interface or use IPMI commands (e.g., 'ipmitool fru print' or 'ipmitool mc info') to retrieve the firmware version. Alternatively, check via Intel ESS or System Update Package.Affected if The firmware version is below 2.45 (e.g., 2.40, 2.30, etc.). Versions prior to 2.45 are vulnerable.
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Verify socket services are enabled on the BMCCheck BMC network services configuration. Socket services typically listen on specific ports for remote management. Inspect BMC service settings via IPMI or the BMC web interface.Affected if Socket services are enabled and listening on the network interface, making them accessible to adjacent network segments.
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Determine BMC network accessibilityReview the BMC network configuration to check if it is exposed to untrusted network segments. Look for IP addresses, subnet settings, and whether the management network is shared with production traffic.Affected if The BMC and its socket services are reachable from an adjacent network segment (same Layer 2 network) without proper network segmentation or VLAN isolation.
You are affected if your Intel Server Board or Compute Module matches one of the listed models, the firmware version is below 2.45, and the BMC socket services are accessible from an adjacent network segment.
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 data2.45
Update Intel server firmware to version 2.45 or later. If immediate patching is not feasible, implement network segmentation to restrict adjacent access to the BMC and socket services.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2020-8709 — 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-2020-8709 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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