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CVE-2020-12880: An issue was discovered in Pulse Policy Secure (PPS) and Pulse Connect Secure (PCS) Virtual Appliance before 9

30
Routine
MEDIUM 5.5DOWNGRADEUPGRADEDOWNGRADE

CVE-2020-12880 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 5.5) affecting connect secure, pulse connect secure, policy secure. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

An issue was discovered in Pulse Policy Secure (PPS) and Pulse Connect Secure (PCS) Virtual Appliance before 9.1R8. By manipulating a certain kernel boot parameter, it can be tricked into dropping into a root shell in a pre-install phase where the entire source code of the appliance is available and can be retrieved. (The source code is otherwise inaccessible because the appliance has its hard disks encrypted, and no root shell is available durin

Why this priority

  • No elevated risk signals yet

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score5.5 (Medium)
Attack vectorLocal
Attack complexityLow
Privileges neededLow
User interactionNone
EPSS exploit chance0.5% (top 59%)
CISA exploited listNo
Published2020-07-27
Last modified2026-06-17
Publisher (CNA): MITRE · Vendor: ivanti · pulsesecure

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Last updated 2026-06-17 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

ivanti connect secure DOWNGRADE
Affected: 9.1 · 9.1 r1 · 9.1 r2 · 9.1 r3 · 9.1 r4 · 9.1 r4.1 · 9.1 r4.2 · 9.1 r4.3
Fixed in: no fixed release known
Safe to downgrade to: a release before 9.1
1. Check installed version
apt-cache policy connect-secure || rpm -q connect-secure || connect-secure --version
2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 9.1 (Debian / Ubuntu)
apt-cache madison connect-secure sudo apt install connect-secure=<VERSION_BEFORE_9.1> sudo apt-mark hold connect-secure
2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)
dnf --showduplicates list connect-secure sudo dnf downgrade connect-secure-<VERSION_BEFORE_9.1> sudo dnf versionlock add connect-secure
Downgrade risk
Downgrading can break dependent software and may reopen older bugs. Read the distro advisory first and test on a non-production host.
After downgrade
Restart the service, and keep the package held until a fixed release ships.
pulsesecure pulse connect secure UPGRADE
Affected: <= 9.0
Fixed in: newer than 9.0
Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release
1. Check installed version
apt-cache policy pulse-connect-secure || rpm -q pulse-connect-secure || pulse-connect-secure --version
2. UPGRADE to newer than 9.0 (Debian / Ubuntu)
sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade pulse-connect-secure
2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)
sudo dnf upgrade pulse-connect-secure
Note
Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.
ivanti policy secure DOWNGRADE
Affected: 9.1 r1 · 9.1 r2 · 9.1 r3 · 9.1 r3.1 · 9.1 r4 · 9.1 r4.1 · 9.1 r4.2 · 9.1 r5
Fixed in: no fixed release known
Safe to downgrade to: a release before 9.1
1. Check installed version
apt-cache policy policy-secure || rpm -q policy-secure || policy-secure --version
2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 9.1 (Debian / Ubuntu)
apt-cache madison policy-secure sudo apt install policy-secure=<VERSION_BEFORE_9.1> sudo apt-mark hold policy-secure
2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)
dnf --showduplicates list policy-secure sudo dnf downgrade policy-secure-<VERSION_BEFORE_9.1> sudo dnf versionlock add policy-secure
Downgrade risk
Downgrading can break dependent software and may reopen older bugs. Read the distro advisory first and test on a non-production host.
After downgrade
Restart the service, and keep the package held until a fixed release ships.
pulsesecure pulse policy secure UPGRADE
Affected: <= 9.0
Fixed in: newer than 9.0
Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release
1. Check installed version
apt-cache policy pulse-policy-secure || rpm -q pulse-policy-secure || pulse-policy-secure --version
2. UPGRADE to newer than 9.0 (Debian / Ubuntu)
sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade pulse-policy-secure
2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)
sudo dnf upgrade pulse-policy-secure
Note
Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.
Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2020-12880?

connect secure: downgrade or apply the listed mitigation; pulse connect secure: upgrade to newer than 9.0; policy secure: downgrade or apply the listed mitigation. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2020-12880 being exploited?

CVE-2020-12880 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2020-12880 affect?

CVE-2020-12880 affects connect secure, pulse connect secure, policy secure. Severity is medium (CVSS 5.5). An issue was discovered in Pulse Policy Secure (PPS) and Pulse Connect Secure (PCS) Virtual Appliance before 9.1R8. By manipulating a certain kernel boot parameter, it can be tricked into dropping into a root shell in a pre-install phase wh

How urgent is CVE-2020-12880?

Priority 30/100. No elevated risk signals yet.

Software pages

Ivanti vulnerabilities

Related CVEs

References

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