LOW
set-screen-option filter misuse by plugins leading to privilege escalation in WordPress
Published Jun 12, 2020
3.5
LOWCVSS 3.1
EPSS 1.41%
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).
Affected products
-
- Version >= 3.7.0, < 3.7.34StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version >= 3.8.0, < 3.8.34StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version >= 3.9.0, < 3.9.32StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version >= 4.0.0, < 4.0.31StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version >= 4.1.0, < 4.1.31StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version >= 4.2.0, < 4.2.28StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version >= 4.3.0, < 4.3.24StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version >= 4.4.0, < 4.4.23StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version >= 4.5.0, < 4.5.22StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version >= 4.6.0, < 4.6.19StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version >= 4.7.0, < 4.7.18StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version >= 4.8.0, < 4.8.14StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version >= 4.9.0, < 4.9.15StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version >= 5.0.0, < 5.0.10StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version >= 5.1.0, < 5.1.6StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version >= 5.2.0, < 5.2.7StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version >= 5.3.0, < 5.3.4StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version >= 5.4.0, < 5.4.2StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress | Wordpress-Develop | n/a |
|
Configuration 1
OR
- ≥ 3.7 · < 3.7.34
- ≥ 3.8 · < 3.8.34
- ≥ 3.9 · < 3.9.32
- ≥ 4.0 · < 4.0.31
- ≥ 4.1 · < 4.1.31
- ≥ 4.2 · < 4.2.28
- ≥ 4.3 · < 4.3.24
- ≥ 4.4 · < 4.4.23
- ≥ 4.5 · < 4.5.22
- ≥ 4.6 · < 4.6.19
- ≥ 4.7 · < 4.7.18
- ≥ 4.8 · < 4.8.14
- ≥ 4.9 · < 4.9.15
- ≥ 5.0 · < 5.0.10
- ≥ 5.1 · < 5.1.6
- ≥ 5.2 · < 5.2.7
- ≥ 5.3.0 · < 5.3.4
- ≥ 5.4 · < 5.4.2
Configuration 2
OR
- 31
- 32
Configuration 3
OR
- 8.0
- 9.0
- 10.0
No data.
No Red Hat product state for this CVE.
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
No remediation recorded yet.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
3.1 LOW NVD
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
Attack Vector Network
Attack Complexity High
Privileges Required Low
User Interaction None
Scope Unchanged
Confidentiality Impact None
Integrity Impact Low
Availability Impact None
1 other source (GitHub) ▾
3.5 LOW GitHub
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:N
Attack Vector Network
Attack Complexity High
Privileges Required Low
User Interaction None
Scope Changed
Confidentiality Impact None
Integrity Impact Low
Availability Impact None
No CVSS v3.0 score for this CVE.
6.0 MEDIUM NVD
AV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
Access Vector Network
Access Complexity Medium
Authentication Single
Confidentiality Impact Partial
Integrity Impact Partial
Availability Impact Partial
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
No CISA SSVC assessment for this CVE yet.
1.41% 0.01414
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 4, 2026.
EPSS probability 0.01414
Score over time
2021-2026- EPSS v1
- EPSS v5
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
Percentile over time
- EPSS v1
- EPSS v5
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
Table of values (21 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed. Showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 4, 2026 | 1.41% (0.01414) | 71.81th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 1.73% (0.01729) | 74.54th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Nov 21, 2025 | 2.42% (0.02416) | 84.59th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Nov 18, 2025 | 0.97% (0.00966) | 74.61th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 30, 2025 | 2.15% (0.02153) | 82.74th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 29, 2025 | 35.91% (0.35907) | 95.52th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 24, 2025 | 2.15% (0.02153) | 82.72th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 23, 2025 | 12.53% (0.12527) | 92.96th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 2.15% (0.02153) | 83.09th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.10% (0.00100) | 42.89th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jul 13, 2024 | 0.10% (0.00101) | 42.00th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jun 5, 2024 | 0.10% (0.00101) | 39.98th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Nov 8, 2023 | 0.10% (0.00105) | 42.59th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.14% (0.00139) | 47.69th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 1.10% (0.01104) | 54.09th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 1.10% (0.01104) | 50.41th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 18.12% (0.18119) | 93.46th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 3, 2022 | 7.85% (0.07855) | 85.01th | v1 |
| Jan 6, 2022 | 7.85% (0.07855) | 84.84th | v1 |
| Jan 5, 2022 | 1.86% (0.01865) | 76.93th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 1.86% (0.01865) | 0.00th | v1 |
Weaknesses (1)
References (8)
- https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/commit/b8dea76b495f0072523106c6ec46b9ea0d2a0920 x_refsource_MISCPatch
- https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/security/advisories/GHSA-4vpv-fgg2-gcqc x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/07/msg00000.html mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/09/msg00011.html mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/773N2ZV7QEMBGKH6FBKI6Q5S3YJMW357/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_FEDORA
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/ODNHXVJS25YVWYQHOCICXTLIN5UYJFDN/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_FEDORA
- https://wordpress.org/news/2020/06/wordpress-5-4-2-security-and-maintenance-release/ x_refsource_MISCRelease NotesVendor Advisory
- https://www.debian.org/security/2020/dsa-4709 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_DEBIANThird Party Advisory
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.
Sources
CVE.org / MITRE
Status PUBLISHED
Assigner GitHub_M
Published Jun 12, 2020
Updated Aug 4, 2024
Reserved Dec 30, 2019
Link CVE-2020-4050
CISA Vulnrichment
Updated n/a