# CVE-2020-35948: Missing authorization in n/a

> Authenticated attackers can modify arbitrary files, including PHP, leading to remote code execution or database dumps in the XCloner WordPress plugin.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AC:L/AV:N/A:H/C:H/I:H/PR:L/S:C/UI:N`)
- **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:** 1 Jan 2021
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p2jc-8hc7-j466

## What is CVE-2020-35948?

CVE-2020-35948 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 1 Jan 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An issue was discovered in the XCloner Backup and Restore plugin before 4.2.13 for WordPress. It gave authenticated attackers the ability to modify arbitrary files, including PHP files. Doing so would allow an attacker to achieve remote code execution. The xcloner_restore.php write_file_action could overwrite wp-config.php, for example. Alternatively, an attacker could create an exploit chain to obtain a database dump.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-35948?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Xcloner Xcloner.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-35948?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-35948 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-35948 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-35948 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- Wordpress Plugin XCloner 4.2.12 - Remote Code Execution (Authenticated) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2020-35950](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-35950/): Cross-site request forgery in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2014-2579](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-2579/): Cross-site request forgery in n/a (high 7.6)
- [CVE-2014-2996](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-2996/): Command injection in n/a (high 7.1)
- [CVE-2014-2340](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-2340/): Cross-site request forgery in n/a (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2020-13424](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13424/): The XCloner component before 3.5.4 for Joomla! (medium 6.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-35948 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-35948 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 1 Jan 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-2020-35948 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-2020-35948/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-35948/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-35948
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-35948
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-35948

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-35948/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.