# CVE-2020-8771: Auth bypass in n/a

> An authentication bypass in the Time Capsule plugin allows attackers to log in as an administrator by sending a specific request prefix.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/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:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 6 Feb 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jr49-4p9w-qv93

## What is CVE-2020-8771?

CVE-2020-8771 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in n/a, published on 6 Feb 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Time Capsule plugin before 1.21.16 for WordPress has an authentication bypass. Any request containing IWP_JSON_PREFIX causes the client to be logged in as the first account on the list of administrator accounts.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-8771?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Wptimecapsule Wp Time Capsule.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-8771?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-8771 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-8771 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-8771 exists.

Public exploit code:

- WordPress Time Capsule < 1.21.16 - Authentication Bypass (nuclei): http/cves/2020/CVE-2020-8771.yaml

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-8771 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-8771 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in n/a, published on 6 Feb 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-8771 exists.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2020-8771/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8771/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-8771
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-8771
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-8771

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8771/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.