# CVE-2020-5740: Code injection in Plex Media Server (Windows)

> A local unauthenticated attacker can execute arbitrary Python code with SYSTEM privileges on Windows Plex Media Server.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/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:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 22 Apr 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qmvf-m2cm-gm9v

## What is CVE-2020-5740?

CVE-2020-5740 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Plex Media Server (Windows), published on 22 Apr 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Improper Input Validation in Plex Media Server on Windows allows a local, unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary Python code with SYSTEM privileges.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-5740?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Plex Media Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-5740?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-5740 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-5740 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-5740 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Plex Media Server (Windows)

- [CVE-2026-96656](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-96656/): Plex Media Server External Control of File Name or Path (high 8.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-5741](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5741/): Plex Media Server Remote Code Execution (high 7.2, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-96654](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-96654/): Plex Media Server Improper Neutralization of Encoded URI Schemes in a Web Page (medium 6.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-96652](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-96652/): Plex Media Server Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) (medium 5.3, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-96655](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-96655/): Plex Media Server Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) (medium 5.3, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-5740 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-5740 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Plex Media Server (Windows), published on 22 Apr 2020. 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-2020-5740 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Plex Media Server (Windows). 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-2020-5740/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5740/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-5740
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-5740
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-5740

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5740/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.