Appdynamics ControllerApplication · Cisco
CVE-2022-20736
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 vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco AppDynamics Controller Software could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to access a configuration file and the login page for an administrative console that they would not normally have authorization to access. This vulnerability is due to improper authorization checking for HTTP requests that are submitted to the affected web-based management interface. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted HTTP request to an affected instance of AppDynamics Controller. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to access the login page for an administrative console. AppDynamics has released software updates that address this vulnerability.
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 improper authorization vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco AppDynamics Controller Software. An unauthenticated, remote attacker can send a crafted HTTP request to bypass authorization checks and access a configuration file and the administrative console login page that would normally require proper authentication and authorization.
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
Appdynamics ControllerApplication
< 21.4.7CVSS 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
- None
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/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 Cisco AppDynamics Controller is installedLook for the AppDynamics Controller installation directory (commonly at /opt/appdynamics/controller or C:\Program Files\AppDynamics\Controller) or check running services for 'AppDynamics Controller' or 'controller' processesAffected if AppDynamics Controller software is present on the system
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Determine the installed AppDynamics Controller versionCheck the version file in the controller installation directory, typically at <install_dir>/controller/version.txt, or access the Controller's 'About' page via the web interface at /controller/aboutAffected if The installed version is any version prior to 21.4.7
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Verify the web-based management interface is exposedAttempt to access the AppDynamics Controller web interface via HTTP/HTTPS on the configured port (default 8090 or 443 for SaaS). Check if the administrative console login page is reachable at /controller/Affected if The web management interface is accessible externally or on untrusted networks
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Test for unauthorized access to protected resourcesSend a crafted HTTP request to the configuration file endpoint (typically /controller/config or similar paths) without providing authentication credentials. Also check if /controller/ login page is reachable without session cookiesAffected if HTTP requests to protected endpoints return valid responses (configuration files or login page content) without authentication tokens or session cookies
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Review access control configurationInspect the Controller's conf/authentication.properties or security configuration files for improper authorization settings, and check web server logs for unusual unauthenticated access patterns to protected pathsAffected if Authentication is not enforced or authorization checks can be bypassed for administrative endpoints
The environment is affected if Cisco AppDynamics Controller version is below 21.4.7 AND the web-based management interface is accessible, allowing unauthorized access to protected configuration and login pages via crafted HTTP requests.
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 · scoped21.4.7
Apply the vendor-released software updates for AppDynamics Controller to address this vulnerability. Organizations should also review HTTP request handling and implement proper authorization checks as a defense-in-depth measure.
21.4.7 or later
- Upgrade Cisco AppDynamics Controller to version 21.4.7 or later to address the improper authorization vulnerability
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Appdynamics Controller
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2022-20736 — 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-2022-20736 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
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