# CVE-2020-18875: Code injection in n/a

> Remote attackers can inject Velocity templates to execute code and escalate privileges in DotCMS.

- **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:** 18 Aug 2021
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-v5hv-5v7h-rxpc

## What is CVE-2020-18875?

CVE-2020-18875 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Dotcms Dotcms, published on 18 Aug 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Incorrect Access Control in DotCMS versions before 5.1 allows remote attackers to gain privileges by injecting client configurations via vtl (velocity) files.

Weakness: CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-18875?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Dotcms Dotcms.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-18875?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-18875 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-18875 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-18875 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Dotcms Dotcms

- [CVE-2022-26352](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-26352/): dotCMS Unrestricted Upload of File (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-19138](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-19138/): File upload in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-6754](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6754/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-5344](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-5344/): SQL injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-2355](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2355/): SQL injection in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-18875 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-18875 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Dotcms Dotcms, published on 18 Aug 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-18875 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Dotcms Dotcms. 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-2020-18875/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-18875/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-18875
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-18875
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-18875

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-18875/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.