How severe is CVE-2020-36838?

CVE-2020-36838 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.4, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity low, and availability low.

Is CVE-2020-36838 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (26th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2020-36838?

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.

Does CVE-2020-36838 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2020-36838 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2020-30790.

When was CVE-2020-36838 published?

CVE-2020-36838 was published on 2024-10-16 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-36838

CVE-2020-36838 is a high-severity vulnerability with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.4. 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-284.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.4)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (26th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2020-30790
Weakness: CWE-284
Published: 2024-10-16
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The Facebook Chat Plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to authorization bypass due to a missing capability check on the wp_ajax_update_options function in versions up to, and including, 1.5. This flaw makes it possible for low-level authenticated attackers to connect their own Facebook Messenger account to any site running the vulnerable plugin and engage in chats with site visitors on affected sites.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-36838?: The Facebook Chat Plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to authorization bypass due to a missing capability check on the wp_ajax_update_options function in versions up to, and including, 1.5. This flaw makes it possible for low-level authenticated attackers to connect their own Facebook Messenger account to any site running the vulnerable plugin and engage in chats with site visitors on affected sites.
How severe is CVE-2020-36838?: CVE-2020-36838 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.4, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity low, and availability low.
Is CVE-2020-36838 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (26th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How do I fix CVE-2020-36838?: 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.
Does CVE-2020-36838 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2020-36838 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2020-30790.
When was CVE-2020-36838 published?: CVE-2020-36838 was published on 2024-10-16 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Other CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) vulnerabilities

CVE-2026-50746 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A malicious actor with access to the network could exploit an Improper Access Control vulnerability found in UniFi…
CVE-2026-46978 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Vulnerability in the Oracle Solaris product of Oracle Systems (component: Remote Administration Daemon). The…
CVE-2026-35308 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Vulnerability in the Oracle Coherence product of Oracle Fusion Middleware (component: Centralized Third Party Jars).…
CVE-2026-35307 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Vulnerability in the Oracle Coherence product of Oracle Fusion Middleware (component: Core). Supported versions that…
CVE-2026-46695 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Boxlite is a sandbox service that allows users to create lightweight virtual machines (Boxes) and launch OCI containers…
CVE-2026-46840 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Vulnerability in Oracle REST Data Services (component: Backend-as-a-Service). Supported versions that are affected are…

Browse all CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) vulnerabilities →