# CVE-2020-5742: Cross-site request forgery in Plex Media Server

> Attackers can execute cross-origin requests against Plex Media Server due to improper access control, potentially bypassing security restrictions.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 15 Jun 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p5rm-fx86-wv2f

## What is CVE-2020-5742?

CVE-2020-5742 is a high-severity vulnerability in Plex Media Server, published on 15 Jun 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Improper Access Control in Plex Media Server prior to June 15, 2020 allows any origin to execute cross-origin application requests.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-5742?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Plex Media Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-5742?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-5742 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-5742 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-5742 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Plex Media Server

- [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-2020-5742 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-5742 is a high-severity vulnerability in Plex Media Server, published on 15 Jun 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-5742 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Plex Media Server. 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-2020-5742/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5742/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-5742
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-5742
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-5742

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5742/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.