# CVE-2020-11514: Missing authorization in n/a

> Unauthenticated attackers can modify arbitrary WordPress metadata via an insecure REST API endpoint, allowing them to escalate or revoke administrative privileges.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 7 Apr 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-c2qp-gp7h-j46p

## What is CVE-2020-11514?

CVE-2020-11514 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 7 Apr 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Rank Math plugin through 1.0.40.2 for WordPress allows unauthenticated remote attackers to update arbitrary WordPress metadata, including the ability to escalate or revoke administrative privileges for existing users via the unsecured rankmath/v1/updateMeta REST API endpoint.

Weakness: CWE-862 (Missing Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-11514?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Rankmath Seo.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-11514?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-11514 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-11514 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-11514 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Rank Math SEO <= 1.0.40.2 - Privilege Escalation via Unprotected REST API Endpoint (nuclei): http/cves/2020/CVE-2020-11514.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2023-23888](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-23888/): WordPress Rank Math SEO plugin <= 1.0.107.2 - Local File Inclusion vulnerability (high 7.6)
- [CVE-2024-9314](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9314/): Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings <= 1.0.228 - Authenticated (Administrator+) PHP Object Injection (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2022-36376](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-36376/): WordPress Rank Math SEO plugin <= 1.0.95 - Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2024-9161](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9161/): Missing authorization in Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2023-32600](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-32600/): WordPress Rank Math SEO Plugin <= 1.0.119 is vulnerable to Cross Site Scripting (XSS) (medium 6.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-11514 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-11514 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 7 Apr 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-11514 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-2020-11514/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11514/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-11514
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-11514
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-11514

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11514/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.