# CVE-2020-15893: Command injection in n/a

> Attackers can execute arbitrary commands on D-Link DIR-816L routers via UPnP SSDP packets, requiring immediate firmware updates.

- **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:** 22 Jul 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-q86m-xf2x-qj8j

## What is CVE-2020-15893?

CVE-2020-15893 is a critical command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 22 Jul 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An issue was discovered on D-Link DIR-816L devices 2.x before 1.10b04Beta02. Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) is enabled by default on port 1900. An attacker can perform command injection by injecting a payload into the Search Target (ST) field of the SSDP M-SEARCH discover packet.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-15893?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Dlink Dir-816l Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-15893?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-15893 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-15893 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-15893 exists.

Public exploit code:

- D-Link Unauthenticated Remote Command Execution using UPnP via a special crafted M-SEARCH packet. (metasploit)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2022-28956](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-28956/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-13188](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-13188/): D-Link DIR-816L authentication.cgi authenticationcgi_main stack-based overflow (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2025-13189](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-13189/): D-Link DIR-816L gena.cgi genacgi_main stack-based overflow (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2025-13190](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-13190/): D-Link DIR-816L __ajax_exporer.sgi scandir_main stack-based overflow (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2025-13191](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-13191/): D-Link DIR-816L soap.cgi soapcgi_main stack-based overflow (high 8.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-15893 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-15893 is a critical command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 22 Jul 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-2020-15893 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-2020-15893/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-15893/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-15893
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-15893
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-15893

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-15893/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.