# CVE-2020-11027: Password reset links invalidation issue in WordPress

> Attackers with email access can use old password reset links to take over accounts even after the password has been changed.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 30 Apr 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** BIT-wordpress-2020-11027, BIT-wordpress-multisite-2020-11027, DEBIAN-CVE-2020-11027, GHSA-ww7v-jg8c-q6jw, UBUNTU-CVE-2020-11027

## What is CVE-2020-11027?

CVE-2020-11027 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 30 Apr 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

In affected versions of WordPress, a password reset link emailed to a user does not expire upon changing the user password. Access would be needed to the email account of the user by a malicious party for successful execution. This has been patched in version 5.4.1, along with all the previously affected versions via a minor release (5.3.3, 5.2.6, 5.1.5, 5.0.9, 4.9.14, 4.8.13, 4.7.17, 4.6.18, 4.5.21, 4.4.22, 4.3.23, 4.2.27, 4.1.30, 4.0.30, 3.9.31, 3.8.33, 3.7.33).

Weakness: CWE-640 (Weak Password Recovery Mechanism for Forgotten Password), CWE-672 (Operation on a Resource after Expiration or Release)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-11027?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including wordpress and wordpress-multisite. It affects 2 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `wordpress` | Bitnami | From 3.7.0 | 3.7.33, 3.8.33, 3.9.31, 4.0.30, 4.1.30, 4.2.27, 4.3.23, 4.4.22, 4.5.21, 4.6.18, 4.7.17, 4.8.13, 4.9.14, 5.0.9, 5.1.5, 5.2.6, 5.3.3, 5.4.1 |
| `wordpress-multisite` | Bitnami | From 3.7.0 | 3.7.33, 3.8.33, 3.9.31, 4.0.30, 4.1.30, 4.2.27, 4.3.23, 4.4.22, 4.5.21, 4.6.18, 4.7.17, 4.8.13, 4.9.14, 5.0.9, 5.1.5, 5.2.6, 5.3.3, 5.4.1 |

Products: Debian Debian Linux, Wordpress Wordpress.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-11027?

Upgrade wordpress to a fixed version for your release line: 3.7.33, 3.8.33, 3.9.31 or 4.0.30.

## Is CVE-2020-11027 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-11027 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- WordPress Theme Medic v1.0.0 - Weak Password Recovery Mechanism for Forgotten Password (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-11027 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-11027 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 30 Apr 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-11027 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- wordpress (Bitnami): affected from 3.7.0; fixed in 3.7.33, 3.8.33, 3.9.31, 4.0.30, 4.1.30, 4.2.27, 4.3.23, 4.4.22, 4.5.21, 4.6.18, 4.7.17, 4.8.13, 4.9.14, 5.0.9, 5.1.5, 5.2.6, 5.3.3, 5.4.1
- wordpress-multisite (Bitnami): affected from 3.7.0; fixed in 3.7.33, 3.8.33, 3.9.31, 4.0.30, 4.1.30, 4.2.27, 4.3.23, 4.4.22, 4.5.21, 4.6.18, 4.7.17, 4.8.13, 4.9.14, 5.0.9, 5.1.5, 5.2.6, 5.3.3, 5.4.1

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11027/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11027/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-11027
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-11027
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-11027

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11027/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.