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CVE-2020-36156

Status: ModifiedHigh (8.8)—

An issue was discovered in the Ultimate Member plugin before 2.1.12 for WordPress, aka Authenticated Privilege Escalation via Profile Update. Any user with wp-admin access to the profile.php page could supply the parameter um-role with a value set to any role (e.g., Administrator) during a profile update, and effectively escalate their privileges.

CVSS

Exploitation probability (EPSS)

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST) estimates how likely a vulnerability is to be exploited in the wild within 30 days. It complements CVSS (impact) and CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).

Affected technologies (1)

Ultimatemember — Ultimate Member

CWEs

References

Raw JSON (NVD)

Show
{
  "id": "CVE-2020-36156",
  "cveTags": [],
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV2": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "version": "2.0",
          "baseScore": 6.5,
          "accessVector": "NETWORK",
          "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P",
          "authentication": "SINGLE",
          "integrityImpact": "PARTIAL",
          "accessComplexity": "LOW",
          "availabilityImpact": "PARTIAL",
          "confidentialityImpact": "PARTIAL"
        },
        "acInsufInfo": false,
        "impactScore": 6.4,
        "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
        "obtainAllPrivilege": false,
        "exploitabilityScore": 8,
        "obtainUserPrivilege": false,
        "obtainOtherPrivilege": false,
        "userInteractionRequired": false
      }
    ],
    "cvssMetricV31": [
      {
        "type": "Secondary",
        "source": "cve@mitre.org",
        "cvssData": {
          "scope": "CHANGED",
          "version": "3.1",
          "baseScore": 9.9,
          "attackVector": "NETWORK",
          "baseSeverity": "CRITICAL",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H",
          "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
          "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
          "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH"
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        "impactScore": 6,
        "exploitabilityScore": 3.1
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          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
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          "attackVector": "NETWORK",
          "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
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          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
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          "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH"
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  "affected": [
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      "affectedData": [
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          "vendor": "n/a",
          "product": "n/a",
          "versions": [
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              "status": "affected",
              "version": "n/a"
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  "published": "2021-01-04T18:15:13.700",
  "references": [
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      "url": "https://wordpress.org/plugins/ultimate-member/#developers",
      "tags": [
        "Release Notes",
        "Third Party Advisory"
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      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
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      "tags": [
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      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
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    {
      "url": "https://www.wordfence.com/blog/2020/11/critical-privilege-escalation-vulnerabilities-affect-100k-sites-using-ultimate-member-plugin/",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Third Party Advisory"
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      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
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      "url": "https://wordpress.org/plugins/ultimate-member/#developers",
      "tags": [
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        "Third Party Advisory"
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      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/dd4c4ece-7206-4788-8747-f0c0f3ab0a53",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.wordfence.com/blog/2020/11/critical-privilege-escalation-vulnerabilities-affect-100k-sites-using-ultimate-member-plugin/",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    }
  ],
  "vulnStatus": "Modified",
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "type": "Primary",
      "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-269"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "An issue was discovered in the Ultimate Member plugin before 2.1.12 for WordPress, aka Authenticated Privilege Escalation via Profile Update. Any user with wp-admin access to the profile.php page could supply the parameter um-role with a value set to any role (e.g., Administrator) during a profile update, and effectively escalate their privileges."
    },
    {
      "lang": "es",
      "value": "Se detectó un problema en el plugin Ultimate Member versiones anteriores a 2.1.12 para WordPress, también se conoce como Escalada de Privilegios Autenticada por medio de Profile Update. Cualquier usuario con acceso wp-admin a la página profile.php podría proporcionar el parámetro um-role con un valor establecido para cualquier rol (por ejemplo, Administrator) durante una actualización de perfil y efectivamente escalar sus privilegios."
    }
  ],
  "lastModified": "2026-06-17T03:14:51.453",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
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              "vulnerable": true,
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              "versionEndExcluding": "2.1.12"
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          "operator": "OR"
        }
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    }
  ],
  "sourceIdentifier": "cve@mitre.org"
}