Vulnerability Database

383,304

Total vulnerabilities in the database

CVE-2020-9523 — microfocus / enterprise_developer

Insufficiently Protected Credentials

Insufficiently protected credentials vulnerability on Micro Focus enterprise developer and enterprise server, affecting all version prior to 4.0 Patch Update 16, and version 5.0 Patch Update 6. The vulnerability could allow an attacker to transmit hashed credentials for the user account running the Micro Focus Directory Server (MFDS) to an arbitrary site, compromising that account's security.

  • Published: Apr 17, 2020
  • Updated: Sep 13, 2026
  • CVE: CVE-2020-9523
  • Severity: High
  • Exploit:
  • CISA KEV:

CVSS v3:

  • Severity: High
  • Score: 8.8
  • AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS v2:

  • Severity: Medium
  • Score: 6.5
  • AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
Software Affected versions
microfocus / enterprise_developer <= 3.0
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 4.0
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 4.0-update_1
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 4.0-update_10
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 4.0-update_11
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 4.0-update_12
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 4.0-update_13
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 4.0-update_14
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 4.0-update_15
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 4.0-update_2
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 4.0-update_3
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 4.0-update_4
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 4.0-update_5
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 4.0-update_6
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 4.0-update_7
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 4.0-update_8
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 4.0-update_9
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 5.0
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 5.0-update_1
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 5.0-update_2
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 5.0-update_3
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 5.0-update_4
microfocus / enterprise_developer = 5.0-update_5
microfocus / enterprise_server <= 3.0
microfocus / enterprise_server = 4.0
microfocus / enterprise_server = 4.0-update_1
microfocus / enterprise_server = 4.0-update_10
microfocus / enterprise_server = 4.0-update_11
microfocus / enterprise_server = 4.0-update_12
microfocus / enterprise_server = 4.0-update_13
microfocus / enterprise_server = 4.0-update_14
microfocus / enterprise_server = 4.0-update_15
microfocus / enterprise_server = 4.0-update_2
microfocus / enterprise_server = 4.0-update_3
microfocus / enterprise_server = 4.0-update_4
microfocus / enterprise_server = 4.0-update_5
microfocus / enterprise_server = 4.0-update_6
microfocus / enterprise_server = 4.0-update_7
microfocus / enterprise_server = 4.0-update_8
microfocus / enterprise_server = 4.0-update_9
microfocus / enterprise_server = 5.0
microfocus / enterprise_server = 5.0-update_1
microfocus / enterprise_server = 5.0-update_2
microfocus / enterprise_server = 5.0-update_3
microfocus / enterprise_server = 5.0-update_4
microfocus / enterprise_server = 5.0-update_5

Frequently Asked Questions

A security vulnerability is a weakness in software, hardware, or configuration that can be exploited to compromise confidentiality, integrity, or availability. Many vulnerabilities are tracked as CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures), which provide a standardized identifier so teams can coordinate patching, mitigation, and risk assessment across tools and vendors.

CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) estimates technical severity, but it doesn't automatically equal business risk. Prioritize using context like internet exposure, affected asset criticality, known exploitation (proof-of-concept or in-the-wild), and whether compensating controls exist. A "Medium" CVSS on an exposed, production system can be more urgent than a "Critical" on an isolated, non-production host.

A vulnerability is the underlying weakness. An exploit is the method or code used to take advantage of it. A zero-day is a vulnerability that is unknown to the vendor or has no publicly available fix when attackers begin using it. In practice, risk increases sharply when exploitation becomes reliable or widespread.

Recurring findings usually come from incomplete Asset Discovery, inconsistent patch management, inherited images, and configuration drift. In modern environments, you also need to watch the software supply chain: dependencies, containers, build pipelines, and third-party services can reintroduce the same weakness even after you patch a single host. Unknown or unmanaged assets (often called Shadow IT) are a common reason the same issues resurface.

Use a simple, repeatable triage model: focus first on externally exposed assets, high-value systems (identity, VPN, email, production), vulnerabilities with known exploits, and issues that enable remote code execution or privilege escalation. Then enforce patch SLAs and track progress using consistent metrics so remediation is steady, not reactive.

SynScan combines attack surface monitoring and continuous security auditing to keep your inventory current, flag high-impact vulnerabilities early, and help you turn raw findings into a practical remediation plan.