# CVE-2020-17516: Authentication Bypass in Apache Cassandra

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2020-17516-authentication-bypass-in-apache-cassandra  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2022-02-09  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2020-17516 · Severity: low · CVSS 3.1 · Published 2022-02-09

Authentication Bypass in Apache Cassandra

Technologies: [org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all (Maven)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/org-apache-cassandra-cassandra-all). Vendors: [Maven](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/maven).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2020-17516 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2020-17516 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2020-17516?** Low severity, with a CVSS score of 3.1, published 9 February 2022.

**Which products and versions are affected?** org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all (Maven) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=2.1.0,fixed=3.0.24.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2020-17516?** Yes. org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all (Maven): upgrade to 3.0.24 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**Am I affected by CVE-2020-17516?** Check whether you run org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all (Maven) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all (Maven): upgrade to 3.0.24 or later

  ```sh
  # set org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all to 3.0.24 in your pom.xml or build.gradle
  ```


## Affected products

- org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all (Maven) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=2.1.0,fixed=3.0.24

## Identifiers

- CVE-2020-17516
- GHSA-2vxm-vp4c-fjfw

## Related threats

- [Apache Cassandra has an authenticated DoS over CQL](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-32588-apache-cassandra-has-an-authenticated-dos-over-cql)
- [Apache Cassandra has sensitive Information Leak in cqlsh](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-27315-apache-cassandra-has-sensitive-information-leak-in-cqlsh)
- [Apache Cassandra is vulnerable to privilege escalation in an mTLS environment using MutualTlsAuthenticator](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-27314-apache-cassandra-is-vulnerable-to-privilege-escalation-in-an-mtls)
- [Apache Cassandra: User with MODIFY permission on ALL KEYSPACES can escalate privileges to superuser via unsafe actions (4.0.16 only)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2025-26467-apache-cassandra-user-with-modify-permission-on-all-keyspaces-can)
- [Apache Cassandra: unrestricted deserialization of JMX authentication credentials](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2024-27137-apache-cassandra-unrestricted-deserialization-of-jmx)