# CVE-2020-36243: Command injection in n/a

> An authenticated attacker can execute arbitrary OS commands via shell metacharacters in the OpenEMR Patient Portal backup interface.

- **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:** 7 Feb 2021
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vqv8-75fg-f6w9

## What is CVE-2020-36243?

CVE-2020-36243 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Open-Emr Openemr, published on 7 Feb 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Patient Portal of OpenEMR 5.0.2.1 is affected by a Command Injection vulnerability in /interface/main/backup.php. To exploit the vulnerability, an authenticated attacker can send a POST request that executes arbitrary OS commands via shell metacharacters.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-36243?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Open-Emr Openemr.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-36243?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-36243 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-36243 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-36243 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Open-Emr Openemr

- [CVE-2026-24898](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24898/): OpenEMR has an Unauthenticated MedEx Token Disclosure (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-24849](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24849/): OpenEMR Arbitrary File Read Vulnerability (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-24908](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24908/): OpenEMR has SQL Injection in Patient API Sort Parameter (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2022-2734](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2734/): Improper Restriction of Rendered UI Layers or Frames in openemr/openemr (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2024-22611](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-22611/): SQL injection in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-36243 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-36243 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Open-Emr Openemr, published on 7 Feb 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-2020-36243 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Open-Emr Openemr. 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-2020-36243/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-36243/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-36243
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-36243
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-36243

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-36243/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.