# CVE-2020-36198: Command Injection Vulnerability in Malware Remover

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary commands on QNAP devices via a command injection flaw in the Malware Remover application.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 13 May 2021
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-7wxf-2j8p-f3hw

## What is CVE-2020-36198?

CVE-2020-36198 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in QNAP Systems Inc. Malware Remover, published on 13 May 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A command injection vulnerability has been reported to affect certain versions of Malware Remover. If exploited, this vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands. This issue affects: QNAP Systems Inc. Malware Remover versions prior to 4.6.1.0. This issue does not affect: QNAP Systems Inc. Malware Remover 3.x.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command), CWE-77 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-36198?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Qnap Malware Remover.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-36198?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-36198 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-36198 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-36198 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in QNAP Systems Inc. Malware Remover

- [CVE-2025-11837](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-11837/): Malware Remover (high 8.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-36198 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-36198 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in QNAP Systems Inc. Malware Remover, published on 13 May 2021. 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-2020-36198 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: QNAP Systems Inc. Malware Remover. 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-2020-36198/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-36198/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-36198
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-36198
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-36198

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-36198/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.