CVE-2020-9487: Missing Authentication for Critical Function in Apache NiFi

org.apache.nifi:nifi Updated 02 Oct 2025

Summary

06/01/2022

Disclosed on

CVE-2020-9487

CVE

Yes i

Fix available

High

Severity

7.5

CVSS Score

CVE-2020-9487: Missing Authentication for Critical Function in Apache NiFi. Affects org.apache.nifi:nifi versions >= 1.0.0, < 1.12.0-RC1. Fixed in 1.12.0-RC1. How to fix ↓

Also tracked for

nifi · Bitnami

The same CVE-2020-9487 is tracked separately for each ecosystem and vendor. Its fix information is the same; the package and affected versions differ.

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Background

Apache NiFi is an open-source data integration and dataflow automation tool that enables the automation of data movement between different systems. It provides a web-based interface for designing, managing, and monitoring dataflows. NiFi allows users to create data pipelines to process and transfer data in real-time. This vulnerability affects versions 1.0.0 to 1.11.4 of the NiFi package.

Vulnerability Detail

The vulnerability (CVE-2020-9487) in Apache NiFi arises from a flaw in the NiFi download token mechanism. The mechanism used a fixed cache size and did not authenticate a request to create a download token, only when attempting to use the token to access the content. This means that an unauthenticated user could repeatedly request download tokens, preventing legitimate users from requesting download tokens. The impact of this vulnerability is that it can lead to denial of service (DoS) attacks, where the legitimate users are unable to access the content they need.

How To Fix

Minimum fixed version

1.12.0-RC1

This is the first release that contains the fix.

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Workaround

There is no specific workaround mentioned for this vulnerability. The recommended solution is to upgrade to the fixed version of the NiFi package.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the CVE-2020-9487 vulnerability in Apache NiFi can lead to denial of service (DoS) attacks by preventing legitimate users from accessing the content they need. To mitigate this vulnerability, it is crucial to upgrade to version 1.12.0-RC1 or later of the NiFi package. For further support on vulnerability remediation, you can contact DevNack.com.

See every vulnerability recorded for org.apache.nifi:nifi →