CVE-2020-4050

set-screen-option filter misuse by plugins leading to privilege escalation in WordPress

State: Published
Severity: 3.5 Low
Published: Jun 12, 2020
Updated: Aug 4, 2024
Reserved: Dec 30, 2019

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).

Scores

CVSS	Score	Vector	Source
3.1	3.5 Low	CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:N	GitHub_M

Weaknesses

CWE-288 Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel

Affected Products

Product	Versions
wordpress-developWordPress	>= 5.4.0, < 5.4.2Affected >= 5.3.0, < 5.3.4Affected >= 5.2.0, < 5.2.7Affected >= 5.1.0, < 5.1.6Affected >= 5.0.0, < 5.0.10Affected >= 4.9.0, < 4.9.15Affected >= 4.8.0, < 4.8.14Affected >= 4.7.0, < 4.7.18Affected >= 4.6.0, < 4.6.19Affected >= 4.5.0, < 4.5.22Affected >= 4.4.0, < 4.4.23Affected >= 4.3.0, < 4.3.24Affected >= 4.2.0, < 4.2.28Affected >= 4.1.0, < 4.1.31Affected >= 4.0.0, < 4.0.31Affected >= 3.9.0, < 3.9.32Affected >= 3.8.0, < 3.8.34Affected >= 3.7.0, < 3.7.34Affected

Product

Versions

wordpress-developWordPress

>= 5.4.0, < 5.4.2Affected
>= 5.3.0, < 5.3.4Affected
>= 5.2.0, < 5.2.7Affected
>= 5.1.0, < 5.1.6Affected
>= 5.0.0, < 5.0.10Affected
>= 4.9.0, < 4.9.15Affected
>= 4.8.0, < 4.8.14Affected
>= 4.7.0, < 4.7.18Affected
>= 4.6.0, < 4.6.19Affected
>= 4.5.0, < 4.5.22Affected
>= 4.4.0, < 4.4.23Affected
>= 4.3.0, < 4.3.24Affected
>= 4.2.0, < 4.2.28Affected
>= 4.1.0, < 4.1.31Affected
>= 4.0.0, < 4.0.31Affected
>= 3.9.0, < 3.9.32Affected
>= 3.8.0, < 3.8.34Affected
>= 3.7.0, < 3.7.34Affected

References

Every record here comes from the CVE Program’s CVE List. © 1999–2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation. The records are reproduced under the CVE Program terms of use.