# CVE-2020-12832: Path traversal in n/a

> Attackers can delete arbitrary files on the server due to improper input validation in the Simple File List plugin.

- **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:** 13 May 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-h2cg-59q7-cp5x

## What is CVE-2020-12832?

CVE-2020-12832 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 13 May 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

WordPress Plugin Simple File List before 4.2.8 is prone to a vulnerability that lets attackers delete arbitrary files because the application fails to properly verify user-supplied input.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-12832?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Simplefilelist Simple-File-List.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-12832?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-12832 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-12832 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-12832 exists.

Public exploit code:

- WordPress Simple File List - Path Traversal (nuclei): http/cves/2020/CVE-2020-12832.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2022-1119](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-1119/): Simple File List <= 3.2.7 - Arbitrary File Download (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2022-3208](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-3208/): Simple File List < 4.4.13 - Page Creation via CSRF (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2022-3062](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-3062/): Simple File List < 4.4.12 - Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (medium 6.1)
- [CVE-2022-3207](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-3207/): Simple File List < 4.4.12 - Admin+ Stored Cross-Site Scripting (medium 4.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-12832 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-12832 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 13 May 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-2020-12832 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-2020-12832/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-12832/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-12832
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-12832
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-12832

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-12832/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.