How severe is CVE-2019-20043?

CVE-2019-20043 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.3, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity low, and availability none.

Is CVE-2019-20043 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (83rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2019-20043?

CVE-2019-20043 primarily affects Wordpress. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2019-20043?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2019-20043 published?

CVE-2019-20043 was published on 2019-12-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2019-20043

CVE-2019-20043 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Wordpress with a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.3. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-269.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 4.3)
CVSS v2: 5.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (83rd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-269
Affected product: Wordpress
Published: 2019-12-27
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

In in wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-posts-controller.php in WordPress 3.7 to 5.3.0, authenticated users who do not have the rights to publish a post are able to mark posts as sticky or unsticky via the REST API. For example, the contributor role does not have such rights, but this allowed them to bypass that. This has been patched in WordPress 5.3.1, along with all the previous WordPress versions from 3.7 to 5.3 via a minor release.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2019-20043?: In in wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-posts-controller.php in WordPress 3.7 to 5.3.0, authenticated users who do not have the rights to publish a post are able to mark posts as sticky or unsticky via the REST API. For example, the contributor role does not have such rights, but this allowed them to bypass that. This has been patched in WordPress 5.3.1, along with all the previous WordPress versions from 3.7 to 5.3 via a minor release.
How severe is CVE-2019-20043?: CVE-2019-20043 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.3, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity low, and availability none.
Is CVE-2019-20043 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (83rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2019-20043?: CVE-2019-20043 primarily affects Wordpress. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2019-20043?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2019-20043 published?: CVE-2019-20043 was published on 2019-12-27 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (3)

cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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Threat intelligence

Threat-intel indicators referencing this CVE:

64.202.190.35 (ipv4-addr)