CVE-2020-4050
set-screen-option filter misuse by plugins leading to privilege escalation in WordPress
Description
In affected versions of WordPress, misuse of the `set-screen-option` filter's return value allows arbitrary user meta fields to be saved. It does require an admin to install a plugin that would misuse the filter. Once installed, it can be leveraged by low privileged users. This has been patched in version 5.4.2, along with all the previously affected versions via a minor release (5.3.4, 5.2.7, 5.1.6, 5.0.10, 4.9.15, 4.8.14, 4.7.18, 4.6.19, 4.5.22, 4.4.23, 4.3.24, 4.2.28, 4.1.31, 4.0.31, 3.9.32, 3.8.34, 3.7.34).
How to fix CVE-2020-4050
To remediate CVE-2020-4050, upgrade the affected package to a fixed version below.
- —upgrade to 3.7.34 or later
- —upgrade to 3.7.34 or later
- —upgrade to 5.4.2+dfsg1-1 or later
Is CVE-2020-4050 being exploited?
Low — EPSS is 2.4%, meaning exploitation activity has not been observed at scale.
Affected packages (3)
- >= 3.7.0, < 3.7.34, >= 3.8.0, < 3.8.34, >= 3.9.0, < 3.9.32, >= 4.0.0, < 4.0.31, >= 4.1.0, < 4.1.31, >= 4.2.0, < 4.2.28, >= 4.3.0, < 4.3.24, >= 4.4.0, < 4.4.23, >= 4.5.0, < 4.5.22, >= 4.6.0, < 4.6.19, >= 4.7.0, < 4.7.18, >= 4.8.0, < 4.8.14, >= 4.9.0, < 4.9.15, >= 5.0.0, < 5.0.10, >= 5.1.0, < 5.1.6, >= 5.2.0, < 5.2.7, >= 5.3.0, < 5.3.4, >= 5.4.0, < 5.4.2
- >= 3.7.0, < 3.7.34, >= 3.8.0, < 3.8.34, >= 3.9.0, < 3.9.32, >= 4.0.0, < 4.0.31, >= 4.1.0, < 4.1.31, >= 4.2.0, < 4.2.28, >= 4.3.0, < 4.3.24, >= 4.4.0, < 4.4.23, >= 4.5.0, < 4.5.22, >= 4.6.0, < 4.6.19, >= 4.7.0, < 4.7.18, >= 4.8.0, < 4.8.14, >= 4.9.0, < 4.9.15, >= 5.0.0, < 5.0.10, >= 5.1.0, < 5.1.6, >= 5.2.0, < 5.2.7, >= 5.3.0, < 5.3.4, >= 5.4.0, < 5.4.2
- from 0, < 5.4.2+dfsg1-1
CVSS scores
| Source | Version | Severity | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| osv | CVSS 3.1 | LOW3.1 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N |