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    CVE-2020-17516

    Apache Cassandra versions 2.1.0 to 2.1.22, 2.2.0 to 2.2.19, 3.0.0 to 3.0.23, and 3.11.0 to 3.11.9, when using 'dc' or 'rack' internode_encryption setting, allows both encrypted and unencrypted internode connections. A misconfigured node or a malicious user can use the unencrypted connection despite not being in the same rack or dc, and bypass mutual TLS requirement.

    Published:Feb 2, 2021
    Last Modified:Nov 21, 2024
    EPS:Feb 3, 2021
    EPSS Score:0.00381
    CVSS Score:7.5

    Affected Products

    Vendor
    Apache
    Product
    Cassandra

    Exploits

    No exploit reference

    Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

    CAPEC-116 Excavation
    CAPEC-13 Subverting Environment Variable Values
    CAPEC-169 Footprinting
    CAPEC-21 Exploitation of Trusted Identifiers
    CAPEC-22 Exploiting Trust in Client
    CAPEC-224 Fingerprinting
    CAPEC-285 ICMP Echo Request Ping
    CAPEC-287 TCP SYN Scan
    CAPEC-290 Enumerate Mail Exchange (MX) Records
    CAPEC-291 DNS Zone Transfers
    CAPEC-292 Host Discovery
    CAPEC-293 Traceroute Route Enumeration
    CAPEC-294 ICMP Address Mask Request
    CAPEC-295 Timestamp Request
    CAPEC-296 ICMP Information Request
    CAPEC-297 TCP ACK Ping
    CAPEC-298 UDP Ping
    CAPEC-299 TCP SYN Ping
    CAPEC-300 Port Scanning
    CAPEC-301 TCP Connect Scan
    CAPEC-302 TCP FIN Scan
    CAPEC-303 TCP Xmas Scan
    CAPEC-304 TCP Null Scan
    CAPEC-305 TCP ACK Scan
    CAPEC-306 TCP Window Scan
    CAPEC-307 TCP RPC Scan
    CAPEC-308 UDP Scan
    CAPEC-309 Network Topology Mapping
    CAPEC-310 Scanning for Vulnerable Software
    CAPEC-312 Active OS Fingerprinting
    CAPEC-313 Passive OS Fingerprinting
    CAPEC-317 IP ID Sequencing Probe
    CAPEC-318 IP 'ID' Echoed Byte-Order Probe
    CAPEC-319 IP (DF) 'Don't Fragment Bit' Echoing Probe
    CAPEC-320 TCP Timestamp Probe
    CAPEC-321 TCP Sequence Number Probe
    CAPEC-322 TCP (ISN) Greatest Common Divisor Probe
    CAPEC-323 TCP (ISN) Counter Rate Probe
    CAPEC-324 TCP (ISN) Sequence Predictability Probe
    CAPEC-325 TCP Congestion Control Flag (ECN) Probe
    CAPEC-326 TCP Initial Window Size Probe
    CAPEC-327 TCP Options Probe
    CAPEC-328 TCP 'RST' Flag Checksum Probe
    CAPEC-329 ICMP Error Message Quoting Probe
    CAPEC-330 ICMP Error Message Echoing Integrity Probe
    CAPEC-459 Creating a Rogue Certification Authority Certificate
    CAPEC-461 Web Services API Signature Forgery Leveraging Hash Function Extension Weakness
    CAPEC-472 Browser Fingerprinting
    CAPEC-473 Signature Spoof
    CAPEC-476 Signature Spoofing by Misrepresentation
    CAPEC-497 File Discovery
    CAPEC-508 Shoulder Surfing
    CAPEC-573 Process Footprinting
    CAPEC-574 Services Footprinting
    CAPEC-575 Account Footprinting
    CAPEC-576 Group Permission Footprinting
    CAPEC-577 Owner Footprinting
    CAPEC-59 Session Credential Falsification through Prediction
    CAPEC-60 Reusing Session IDs (aka Session Replay)
    CAPEC-616 Establish Rogue Location
    CAPEC-643 Identify Shared Files/Directories on System
    CAPEC-646 Peripheral Footprinting
    CAPEC-651 Eavesdropping
    CAPEC-667 Bluetooth Impersonation AttackS (BIAS)
    CAPEC-79 Using Slashes in Alternate Encoding
    CAPEC-94 Adversary in the Middle (AiTM)

    Related CVEs

    CVE-2026-32588 (CVSS 6.5) — Authenticated DoS over CQL in Apache Cassandra 4.0, 4.1, 5.0 allows authenticated user to raise query latencie…
    CVE-2026-27315 (CVSS 5.5) — Sensitive Information Leak in cqlsh in Apache Cassandra 4.0 allows access to sensitive information, like passw…
    CVE-2026-27314 (CVSS 8.8) — Privilege escalation in Apache Cassandra 5.0 on an mTLS environment using MutualTlsAuthenticator allows a user…
    CVE-2025-26467 (CVSS 8.8) — Privilege Defined With Unsafe Actions vulnerability in Apache Cassandra. An user with MODIFY permission ON ALL…
    CVE-2024-27137 (CVSS 5.3) — In Apache Cassandra it is possible for a local attacker without access to the Apache Cassandra process or con…
    CVE-2025-24860 (CVSS 5.4) — Incorrect Authorization vulnerability in Apache Cassandra allowing users to access a datacenter or IP/CIDR gro…
    CVE-2025-23015 (CVSS 8.8) — Privilege Defined With Unsafe Actions vulnerability in Apache Cassandra. An user with MODIFY permission ON ALL…
    CVE-2023-30601 (CVSS 7.8) — Privilege escalation when enabling FQL/Audit logs allows user with JMX access to run arbitrary commands as the…
    CVE-2021-44521 (CVSS 9.1) — When running Apache Cassandra with the following configuration: enable_user_defined_functions: true enable_scr…
    CVE-2020-13946 (CVSS 5.9) — In Apache Cassandra, all versions prior to 2.1.22, 2.2.18, 3.0.22, 3.11.8 and 4.0-beta2, it is possible for a …

    References

    http://mail-archives.apache.org/mod_mbox/cassandra-user/202102.mbox/%3c6E4340A5-D7BE-4D33-9EC5-3B505A626D8D%40apache.org%3e
    https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r81243a412a37a22211754936a13856af07cc68a93d728c52807486e9%40%3Ccommits.cassandra.apache.org%3E
    https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rcb16f36cafa184dd159e94033f87d0fc274c4752d467f3a09f2ceae4%40%3Ccommits.cassandra.apache.org%3E
    https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rd84bec24907617bdb72f7ec907cd7437a0fd5a8886eb55aa84dd1eb8%40%3Ccommits.cassandra.apache.org%3E
    https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210521-0002/
    http://mail-archives.apache.org/mod_mbox/cassandra-user/202102.mbox/%3c6E4340A5-D7BE-4D33-9EC5-3B505A626D8D%40apache.org%3e
    https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r81243a412a37a22211754936a13856af07cc68a93d728c52807486e9%40%3Ccommits.cassandra.apache.org%3E
    https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rcb16f36cafa184dd159e94033f87d0fc274c4752d467f3a09f2ceae4%40%3Ccommits.cassandra.apache.org%3E
    https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rd84bec24907617bdb72f7ec907cd7437a0fd5a8886eb55aa84dd1eb8%40%3Ccommits.cassandra.apache.org%3E
    https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210521-0002/

    Common Vulnerability Scoring System

    Attack Vector
    Network
    Adjacent
    Local
    Physical
    Privileges Required
    None
    Low
    High
    User Interaction
    None
    Required
    Scope
    Unchanged
    Changed
    Confidentiality
    None
    Low
    High
    Integrity
    None
    Low
    High
    Availability
    None
    Low
    High