# CVE-2020-35235: Missing authorization in n/a

> Authenticated users can execute arbitrary code via the elFinder upload command due to missing access controls in the secure-file-manager plugin.

- **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:** 14 Dec 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cg8j-592g-v7p8

## What is CVE-2020-35235?

CVE-2020-35235 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 14 Dec 2020. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

vendor/elfinder/php/connector.minimal.php in the secure-file-manager plugin through 2.5 for WordPress loads elFinder code without proper access control. Thus, any authenticated user can run the elFinder upload command to achieve remote code execution. NOTE: This vulnerability only affects products that are no longer supported by the maintainer

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-35235?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Themexa Secure File Manager.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-35235?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-35235 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-35235 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-35235 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-35235 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-35235 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 14 Dec 2020. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-35235 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-2020-35235/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-35235/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-35235
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-35235
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-35235

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-35235/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.