# CVE-2020-36769: Widget Settings Importer/Exporter Plugin <= 1.5.3 - Unauthorized Widget Import to Stored Cross-Site Scripting

> Authenticated attackers can inject arbitrary scripts via widget import, leading to stored XSS execution for other users.

- **Severity:** High 7.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L`)
- **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:** 23 Dec 2023
- **Updated:** 8 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hgpj-j8q9-2gfm

## What is CVE-2020-36769?

CVE-2020-36769 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in kevinlangleyjr Widget Settings Importer/Exporter, published on 23 Dec 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Widget Settings Importer/Exporter Plugin  for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the wp_ajax_import_widget_dataparameter AJAX action in versions up to, and including, 1.5.3 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with subscriber-level permissions and above to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-36769?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Porternovelli Widget Settings Importer\/Exporter.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-36769?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-36769 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-36769 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-36769 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-36769 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-36769 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in kevinlangleyjr Widget Settings Importer/Exporter, published on 23 Dec 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-36769 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: kevinlangleyjr Widget Settings Importer/Exporter. 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-2020-36769/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-36769/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-36769
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-36769
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-36769

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-36769/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.