How severe is CVE-2020-26284?

CVE-2020-26284 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.7, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.

Is CVE-2020-26284 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (70th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-26284?

CVE-2020-26284 affects Gohugo Hugo. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-26284?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2020-26284 published?

CVE-2020-26284 was published on 2020-12-21 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-26284

CVE-2020-26284 is a high-severity vulnerability in Gohugo Hugo with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.7. 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-78.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.7)
CVSS v2: 8.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (70th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-78
Affected product: Gohugo Hugo
Published: 2020-12-21
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Hugo is a fast and Flexible Static Site Generator built in Go. Hugo depends on Go's `os/exec` for certain features, e.g. for rendering of Pandoc documents if these binaries are found in the system `%PATH%` on Windows. In Hugo before version 0.79.1, if a malicious file with the same name (`exe` or `bat`) is found in the current working directory at the time of running `hugo`, the malicious command will be invoked instead of the system one. Windows users who run `hugo` inside untrusted Hugo sites are affected. Users should upgrade to Hugo v0.79.1. Other than avoiding untrusted Hugo sites, there is no workaround.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-26284?: Hugo is a fast and Flexible Static Site Generator built in Go. Hugo depends on Go's `os/exec` for certain features, e.g. for rendering of Pandoc documents if these binaries are found in the system `%PATH%` on Windows. In Hugo before version 0.79.1, if a malicious file with the same name (`exe` or `bat`) is found in the current working directory at the time of running `hugo`, the malicious command will be invoked instead of the system one. Windows users who run `hugo` inside untrusted Hugo sites are affected. Users should upgrade to Hugo v0.79.1. Other than avoiding untrusted Hugo sites, there is no workaround.
How severe is CVE-2020-26284?: CVE-2020-26284 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.7, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.
Is CVE-2020-26284 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (70th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-26284?: CVE-2020-26284 affects Gohugo Hugo. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-26284?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2020-26284 published?: CVE-2020-26284 was published on 2020-12-21 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:gohugo:hugo:*:*:*:*:*:windows:*:*

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