CVE-2020-4415 [Critical] | Input Validation Bypass in Spectrum Protect

IBM Spectrum Protect 7.1 and 8.1 server is vulnerable to a stack-based buffer overflow, caused by improper bounds checking. This could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the system with the privileges of an administrator or user associated with the Spectrum Protect server or cause the Spectrum Protect server to crash. IBM X-Force ID: 179990.

#	Date	Old EPSS score	New EPSS score	Delta (New - Old)
1	2026-06-15	24.57%	8.05%	-16.52%
2	2025-03-30	33.35%	24.57%	-8.78%
3	2025-03-29	—	33.35%	—

Date

Old EPSS score

New EPSS score

Delta (New - Old)

2026-06-15

24.57%

8.05%

-16.52%

2025-03-30

33.35%

24.57%

-8.78%

2025-03-29

—

33.35%

—

Base score	Version	Severity	Vector	Exploitability	Impact	Score source
9.8	3.1	CRITICAL	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H` Click to expand Attack vector (AV:N) Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine. Attack complexity (AC:L) Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup. Privileges required (PR:N) No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough. User interaction (UI:N) Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping. Scope (S:U) Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems. Confidentiality (C:H) Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way. Integrity (I:H) They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt. Availability (A:H) Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.	3.9	5.9	[email protected]
9.8	3.0	CRITICAL	`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H` Click to expand Attack vector (AV:N) Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine. Attack complexity (AC:L) Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup. Privileges required (PR:N) No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough. User interaction (UI:N) Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping. Scope (S:U) Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems. Confidentiality (C:H) Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way. Integrity (I:H) They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt. Availability (A:H) Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.	3.9	5.9	[email protected]
10.0	2.0	HIGH	`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C` Click to expand Access vector (AV:N) Can be exploited remotely over network reachability. Access complexity (AC:L) Exploitation conditions are straightforward and predictable. Authentication (AU:N) No authentication is required. Confidentiality impact (C:C) Complete confidentiality impact. Integrity impact (I:C) Complete integrity impact. Availability impact (A:C) Complete availability impact.	10.0	10.0	[email protected]

Base score

Version

Severity

Vector

Exploitability

Impact

Score source

9.8

3.1

CRITICAL

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand

Attack vector (AV:N): Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L): Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N): No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N): Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U): Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H): Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H): They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H): Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.

3.9

5.9

[email protected]

9.8

3.0

CRITICAL

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand

Attack vector (AV:N): Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L): Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N): No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N): Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U): Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H): Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H): They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H): Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.

3.9

5.9

[email protected]

10.0

2.0

HIGH

AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C Click to expand

Access vector (AV:N): Can be exploited remotely over network reachability.
Access complexity (AC:L): Exploitation conditions are straightforward and predictable.
Authentication (AU:N): No authentication is required.
Confidentiality impact (C:C): Complete confidentiality impact.
Integrity impact (I:C): Complete integrity impact.
Availability impact (A:C): Complete availability impact.

10.0

[email protected]

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2020-4415

Vendor	Product	Version	Raw CPE
ibm	spectrum_protect	>= 7.1.0.0, <= 7.1.10.0	cpe:2.3:a:ibm:spectrum_protect::::::::
ibm	spectrum_protect	>= 8.1.0.0, <= 8.1.9.200	cpe:2.3:a:ibm:spectrum_protect::::::::

References for CVE-2020-4415

URL	Tags
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/179990	VDB Entry Vendor Advisory
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6195706	Patch Vendor Advisory

URL

CVE-2020-4415

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2020-4415

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2020-4415

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2020-4415

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2020-4415

References for CVE-2020-4415