What is CVE-2020-8956?

CVE-2020-8956 is a low-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows, classified under Weak Password Requirements. CVSS score: 3.3/10. Published 2020-10-27.

How severe is CVE-2020-8956?

Low severity. CVSS v3 base score is 3.3 out of 10.

Is CVE-2020-8956 known to be exploited?

2 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed. Not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

Vulnerability in Microsoft Windows

CVE-2020-8956

Pulse Secure Desktop Client 9.0Rx before 9.0R5 and 9.1Rx before 9.1R4 on Windows reveals users' passwords if Save Settings is enabled.

Published 2020-10-27 · last modified 2026-06-17.

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 3.3 (Low). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N.

EPSS exploit prediction

EPSS: 0.012 (65.7th percentile), scored 2026-09-29.

Low probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, but still tracked. 66th percentile — 65.7% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.

EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.012 · newest: 0.012 · change: 0.000

Affected products

Microsoft Windows
Pulsesecure Pulse Secure Desktop — versions 9.0r1.0, 9.0r2.0, 9.0r2.1

Weakness classification (CWE)

CWE-521 — Weak Password Requirements

Public proof-of-concept exploits

References

kb.pulsesecure.net/articles/Pulse_Security_Advisories/SA44601 (Vendor Advisory)

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-8956?: CVE-2020-8956 is a low-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows, classified under Weak Password Requirements. CVSS score: 3.3/10. Published 2020-10-27.
How severe is CVE-2020-8956?: Low severity. CVSS v3 base score is 3.3 out of 10.
Is CVE-2020-8956 known to be exploited?: 2 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed. Not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.