# CVE-2020-36996: PHPFusion 9.03.50 - Persistent Cross-Site Scripting

> Attackers can inject malicious JavaScript into forum messages that executes in victim browsers when viewing the print page.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.1 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:L/SI:L/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 30 Jan 2026
- **Updated:** 14 May 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-frj2-fj2r-89c8

## What is CVE-2020-36996?

CVE-2020-36996 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Php-Fusion PHPFusion, published on 30 Jan 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

PHPFusion 9.03.50 contains a persistent cross-site scripting vulnerability in the print.php page that fails to properly sanitize user-submitted message content. Attackers can inject malicious JavaScript through forum messages that will execute when the print page is generated, allowing script execution in victim browsers.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-36996?


## How do I fix CVE-2020-36996?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-36996 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-36996 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-36996 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-36996 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-36996 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Php-Fusion PHPFusion, published on 30 Jan 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-36996 exists.

Affected product: Php-Fusion PHPFusion. 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-2020-36996/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-36996/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-36996
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-36996
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-36996

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-36996/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.