# CVE-2020-14971: Code injection in n/a

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code by modifying Teleporter backup files and restoring them via the web interface.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/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:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 23 Jun 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wjqw-p6cv-p8gj

## What is CVE-2020-14971?

CVE-2020-14971 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 23 Jun 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Pi-hole through 5.0 allows code injection in piholedhcp (the Static DHCP Leases section) by modifying Teleporter backup files and then restoring them. This occurs in settings.php. To exploit this, an attacker would request a backup of limited files via teleporter.php. These are placed into a .tar.gz archive. The attacker then modifies the host parameter in dnsmasq.d files, and then compresses and uploads these files again.

Weakness: CWE-862 (Missing Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-14971?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Pi-Hole Pi-Hole.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-14971?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-14971 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-14971 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-14971 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## 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-2020-11108](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11108/): File upload in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2019-13051](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-13051/): Pi-Hole 4.3 allows Command Injection. (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-14971 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-14971 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 23 Jun 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-14971 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2020-14971/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-14971/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-14971
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-14971
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-14971

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-14971/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.