# CVE-2020-11108: File upload in n/a

> An authenticated attacker can upload arbitrary files to execute code and escalate privileges to root via the Gravity updater.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 11 May 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xm4h-5598-382p

## What is CVE-2020-11108?

CVE-2020-11108 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 11 May 2020. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Gravity updater in Pi-hole through 4.4 allows an authenticated adversary to upload arbitrary files. This can be abused for Remote Code Execution by writing to a PHP file in the web directory. (Also, it can be used in conjunction with the sudo rule for the www-data user to escalate privileges to root.) The code error is in gravity_DownloadBlocklistFromUrl in gravity.sh.

Weakness: CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-11108?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Pi-Hole Pi-Hole.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-11108?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-11108 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-11108 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-11108 exists.

Public exploit code:

- PoCs for CVE-2020-11108; an RCE and priv esc in Pi-hole (github_poc): https://github.com/Frichetten/CVE-2020-11108-PoC
- Pi-hole < 4.4 - Authenticated Remote Code Execution (exploitdb)
- Pi-hole < 4.4 - Authenticated Remote Code Execution / Privileges Escalation (exploitdb)
- Pi-Hole heisenbergCompensator Blocklist OS Command Execution (metasploit)
- Pi-Hole - heisenbergCompensator Blocklist OS Command Execution (Metasploit) (exploitdb)
- Pi-hole 4.4.0 - Remote Code Execution (Authenticated) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2020-8816](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8816/): Pi-Hole AdminLTE Remote Code Execution (critical 9.1, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-34087](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-34087/): Pi-Hole AdminLTE Whitelist (now 'Web Allowlist') Remote Command Execution (critical 9.0)
- [CVE-2026-50130](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-50130/): Pi-hole: Local privilege escalation from `pihole` user to root via `/etc/pihole/logrotate` (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2019-13051](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-13051/): Pi-Hole 4.3 allows Command Injection. (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2024-34361](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-34361/): Pi-hole Blind Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability can lead to Remote Code Execution (RCE) (high 8.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-11108 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-11108 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 11 May 2020. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-11108 exists.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2020-11108/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11108/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-11108
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-11108
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-11108

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11108/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.