CVE-2020-12271
CriticalExploitedPublic exploitA SQL injection issue was found in SFOS 17.0, 17.1, 17.5, and 18.0 before 2020-04-25 on Sophos XG Firewall devices, as exploited in the wild in April 2020.
Published Apr 27, 2020 · Updated Nov 7, 2025
Key Facts
Patch immediately- CVE-2020-12271 is a critical-severity vulnerability (CVSS 9.8 v3.1) affecting Sfos (Sophos).
- It is exploited in the wild, listed in CISA KEV, Industry KEV feed, CIRCL KEV, ENISA EUVD since Apr 22, 2020 and is known to be used in ransomware campaigns. Public exploit code is available.
- EPSS estimates a 42% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- No fixed version is listed yet; check the vendor advisory for mitigations.
- Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is listed as exploited in the wild.
CVSS v3.1
9.8
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS (30-day exploit likelihood)
42%
Higher than 98.6% of all scored CVEs
Exploited in the wild
Yes
4 catalog listings, used by ransomware
Public exploit code
Available
Proof-of-concept or weaponized module
Get the full CVE-2020-12271 brief as a PDF
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Description
A SQL injection issue was found in SFOS 17.0, 17.1, 17.5, and 18.0 before 2020-04-25 on Sophos XG Firewall devices, as exploited in the wild in April 2020. This affected devices configured with either the administration (HTTPS) service or the User Portal exposed on the WAN zone. A successful attack may have caused remote code execution that exfiltrated usernames and hashed passwords for the local device admin(s), portal admins, and user accounts used for remote access (but not external Active Directory or LDAP passwords)
Known-Exploited Catalog Listings
| Catalog | Added | Remediation due | Ransomware use |
|---|---|---|---|
| CISA KEV | Nov 3, 2021 | May 3, 2022 | Known |
| Industry KEV feed | Apr 22, 2020 | May 3, 2022 | Known |
| CIRCL KEV | Nov 3, 2021 | May 3, 2022 | Known |
| ENISA EUVD | Nov 3, 2021 | n/a | Not reported |
Required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Affected Products
4 affected entries in total| Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| SfosSophos | 17.0, 17.1, 17.5, 18.0 | n/a |
Timeline
Added to Industry KEV feed
Apr 22, 2020
Publicly disclosed
Apr 27, 2020
Added to CISA KEV
Nov 3, 2021
Added to CIRCL KEV
Nov 3, 2021
Added to ENISA EUVD
Nov 3, 2021
Last updated
Nov 7, 2025
Weakness Type
- CWE-89 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')
References
- advisoryhttps://community.sophos.com/kb/en-us/135412
- advisoryhttps://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/89.html
- exploitVulnCheck exploitation report
- exploitVulnCheck exploitation report
- exploithttps://news.sophos.com/en-us/2020/04/26/asnarok/
FAQ
Common Questions.
A SQL injection issue was found in SFOS 17.0, 17.1, 17.5, and 18.0 before 2020-04-25 on Sophos XG Firewall devices, as exploited in the wild in April 2020.
Affected: Sfos (Sophos) versions 17.0, 17.1, 17.5, 18.0. The full list is in the CVE brief.
It is exploited in the wild, listed in CISA KEV, Industry KEV feed, CIRCL KEV, ENISA EUVD since Apr 22, 2020 and is known to be used in ransomware campaigns.
Yes. It was added on Nov 3, 2021 with a federal remediation due date of May 3, 2022.
Public exploit code is available.
No fixed version is listed yet; check the vendor advisory for mitigations.
Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is listed as exploited in the wild.
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