CVE-2020-36155 : What You Need to Know

An issue was discovered in the Ultimate Member plugin before 2.1.12 for WordPress, allowing unauthenticated privilege escalation via user meta.

Understanding CVE-2020-36155

This CVE identifies a critical vulnerability in the Ultimate Member plugin for WordPress that could lead to privilege escalation.

What is CVE-2020-36155?

The vulnerability allows an attacker to manipulate sensitive metadata during the registration process, potentially granting unauthorized access.

The Impact of CVE-2020-36155

The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 10 (Critical) with high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, posing a significant risk to affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-36155

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises from the acceptance of any metadata during the registration process, enabling attackers to define user roles, such as administrator access.

Affected Systems and Versions

Ultimate Member plugin before version 2.1.12 for WordPress

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
Scope: Changed
User Interaction: None
Vector String: CVSS:3.1/AC:L/AV:N/A:H/C:H/I:H/PR:N/S:C/UI:N

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from CVE-2020-36155 by following these mitigation strategies.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Ultimate Member plugin to version 2.1.12 or later.
Monitor user registrations for suspicious activity.
Implement strong password policies.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly audit user roles and permissions.
Conduct security training for users on best practices.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security patches and updates for all plugins and software used in your WordPress environment.