CVE-2020-5529 [High] | Security Vulnerability in Htmlunit

HtmlUnit prior to 2.37.0 contains code execution vulnerabilities. HtmlUnit initializes Rhino engine improperly, hence a malicious JavScript code can execute arbitrary Java code on the application. Moreover, when embedded in Android application, Android-specific initialization of Rhino engine is done in an improper way, hence a malicious JavaScript code can execute arbitrary Java code on the application.

#	Date	Old EPSS score	New EPSS score	Delta (New - Old)
1	2026-05-29	2.08%	1.64%	-0.44%
2	2026-05-26	1.64%	2.08%	+0.44%
3	2026-05-24	—	1.64%	—

Date

Old EPSS score

New EPSS score

Delta (New - Old)

2026-05-29

2.08%

1.64%

-0.44%

2026-05-26

1.64%

2.08%

+0.44%

2026-05-24

—

1.64%

—

Base score	Version	Severity	Vector	Exploitability	Impact	Score source
8.1	3.1	HIGH	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/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:H) Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work. 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.	2.2	5.9	[email protected]
8.1	3.1	HIGH	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/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:H) Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work. 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.	2.2	5.9	134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
6.8	2.0	MEDIUM	`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P` Click to expand Access vector (AV:N) Can be exploited remotely over network reachability. Access complexity (AC:M) Exploitation needs some favorable conditions, but not exceptional ones. Authentication (AU:N) No authentication is required. Confidentiality impact (C:P) Partial confidentiality impact. Integrity impact (I:P) Partial integrity impact. Availability impact (A:P) Partial availability impact.	8.6	6.4	[email protected]

Base score

Version

Severity

Vector

Exploitability

Impact

Score source

8.1

3.1

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/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:H): Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
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.

2.2

5.9

[email protected]

8.1

3.1

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/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:H): Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
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.

2.2

5.9

134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0

6.8

2.0

MEDIUM

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

Access vector (AV:N): Can be exploited remotely over network reachability.
Access complexity (AC:M): Exploitation needs some favorable conditions, but not exceptional ones.
Authentication (AU:N): No authentication is required.
Confidentiality impact (C:P): Partial confidentiality impact.
Integrity impact (I:P): Partial integrity impact.
Availability impact (A:P): Partial availability impact.

8.6

6.4

[email protected]

OS Trackers for CVE-2020-5529

vendor	priority	summary	link
`redhat`	medium	—	https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-5529
`ubuntu`	medium	CVE-2020-5529 medium priority: Ubuntu including 1 source packages (htmlunit), 17 status rows across 17 suites (bionic, eoan, focal, groovy, hirsute, impish, jammy, kinetic, lunar, mantic, noble, oracular, plucky, questing, trusty, upstream, xenial): DNE 14, needs-triage 2, released 1.	https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-5529

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2020-5529

Vendor	Product	Version	Raw CPE
htmlunit	htmlunit	< 2.37.0	cpe:2.3:a:htmlunit:htmlunit::::::::
debian	debian_linux	9.0	cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:::::::*
canonical	ubuntu_linux	16.04	cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04::::esm:::
apache	camel	—	cpe:2.3:a:apache:camel:-:::::::*

References for CVE-2020-5529

URL	Tags
https://github.com/HtmlUnit/htmlunit/releases/tag/2.37.0	Release Notes Third Party Advisory
https://jvn.jp/en/jp/JVN34535327/	Third Party Advisory
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/ra2cd7f8e61dc6b8a2d9065094cd1f46aa63ad10f237ee363e26e8563%40%3Ccommits.camel.apache.org%3E
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/08/msg00023.html	Mailing List Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4584-1/	Third Party Advisory

URL

CVE-2020-5529

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2020-5529

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2020-5529

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2020-5529

GitHub Security Advisory for CVE-2020-5529

OS Trackers for CVE-2020-5529

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2020-5529

References for CVE-2020-5529