High

Insecure temporary-file handling in Apache Ant fixcrlf

IdentifiersCVE-2020-11979CWE-377

CVE-2020-11979 is an insecure temporary-file vulnerability in Apache Ant's fixcrlf task. Apache Ant 1.10.8 introduced restrictive temporary-file permissions to mitigate CVE-2020-1945, allowing access only by the current user. However, fixcrlf deletes the protected temporary file and creates a replacement without those protections. This defeats the permission hardening and allows an attacker to inject modified source files into the build process.

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ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.

Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation compromises build integrity by allowing attacker-modified source files to enter an Apache Ant build process. Product advisories also describe this as a security-restriction bypass. Arbitrary code execution, confidentiality loss, and service disruption are not independently established for this vulnerability.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

No vulnerability-specific temporary workaround is documented. IBM explicitly states that no workarounds or mitigations are available for its affected Spectrum Conductor release.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Apply vendor updates that correct the bundled Apache Ant vulnerability. For HCL Launch, update both server and agents to 7.1.2.0, 6.2.7.10, 7.0.5.5, or later in the corresponding release branch. Red Hat fixes are available in OpenShift Container Platform 4.6.17 through RHSA-2021:0423, 4.5.33 through RHSA-2021:0429, and 3.11.394 through RHSA-2021:0637; apply the applicable updated packages and images using the cluster upgrade procedures. For IBM Spectrum Conductor 2.5.0, apply interim-fix build sc-2.5-build600141. Deprecated OpenShift Metering components were marked will not fix, and Red Hat BPM Suite 6 was outside support scope. An upstream Apache Ant fixed-version number is not established by the available information.

PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

No public exploits tracked yet. Mallory keeps watching.

VALID 0 / 0 TOTALView more in app

No public exploit code observed for this vulnerability.

EXPOSURE SURFACE

Affected products & vendors

Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.

VendorProductType

Apache Software FoundationAntapplication

Fedora ProjectFedoraoperating_system

GradleGradleapplication

Oracle CorporationAgile Engineering Data Managementapplication

Oracle CorporationApi Gatewayapplication

Oracle CorporationBanking Platformapplication

Oracle CorporationBanking Treasury Managementapplication

Oracle CorporationCommunications Unified Inventory Managementapplication

Oracle CorporationData Integratorapplication

Oracle CorporationEndeca Information Discovery Studioapplication

Oracle CorporationEnterprise Repositoryapplication

Oracle CorporationFinancial Services Analytical Applications Infrastructureapplication

Oracle CorporationFlexcube Private Bankingapplication

Oracle CorporationPrimavera Gatewayapplication

Oracle CorporationPrimavera Unifierapplication

Oracle CorporationReal-Time Decision Serverapplication

Oracle CorporationRetail Advanced Inventory Planningapplication

Oracle CorporationRetail Assortment Planningapplication

Oracle CorporationRetail Category Management Planning & Optimizationapplication

Oracle CorporationRetail Eftlinkapplication

Oracle CorporationRetail Financial Integrationapplication

Oracle CorporationRetail Integration Busapplication

Oracle CorporationRetail Item Planningapplication

Oracle CorporationRetail Macro Space Optimizationapplication

Oracle CorporationRetail Merchandise Financial Planningapplication

Oracle CorporationRetail Merchandising Systemapplication

Oracle CorporationRetail Predictive Application Serverapplication

Oracle CorporationRetail Regular Price Optimizationapplication

Oracle CorporationRetail Replenishment Optimizationapplication

Oracle CorporationRetail Service Backboneapplication

Oracle CorporationRetail Size Profile Optimizationapplication

Oracle CorporationRetail Store Inventory Managementapplication

Oracle CorporationRetail Xstore Point Of Serviceapplication

Oracle CorporationStoragetek Acslsapplication

Oracle CorporationStoragetek Tape Analyticsapplication

Oracle CorporationTimesten In-Memory Databaseapplication

Oracle CorporationUtilities Frameworkapplication

Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.

ACTIVITY FEED

Recent activity

7 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.

7 SOURCESView more in app

redhat accessNews

Jan 1, 2026

RHSA-2021:0637 - Security Advisory - Red Hat Customer Portal

An insecure temporary-file vulnerability in Apache Ant.

redhat accessNews

Jan 1, 2026

RHSA-2021:0429 - Security Advisory - Red Hat Customer Portal

An Apache Ant insecure temporary-file vulnerability.

redhat accessNews

Jan 1, 2026

RHSA-2021:0423 - Security Advisory - Red Hat Customer Portal

An insecure temporary-file vulnerability in Apache Ant.

redhat otherNews

Mar 3, 2021

CVE-2020-11979 - Red Hat Customer Portal

An insecure temporary-file handling flaw in Apache Ant's fixcrlf task. The task can recreate a temporary file without restrictive permissions, enabling a local attacker to modify source files used during a build and compromise build integrity.

+2 more in the timeline

What this page doesn’t show

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Exposure mapping

Query your assets running an affected version, and investigate the blast radius.

Threat actor evidence

Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.

Associated malware

Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.

Detection signatures

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity