CVE-2020-28039
CRITICAL
9.1
CVSS Score
Published: October 31, 2020 at 12:58 AM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 03:10 AM UTC
3 products affected across 3 vendorsDebian LinuxUbuntu LinuxWordPress
Using N/A by N/A?
Get instant alerts when new vulnerabilities affect N/A - before attackers find them.
Real-time alertsTrack your software stackFree plan available
Severity
CRITICAL9.1
Exploit prediction
EPSS 4%
Description
is_protected_meta in wp-includes/meta.php in WordPress before 5.5.2 allows arbitrary file deletion because it does not properly determine whether a meta key is considered protected.
Affected
Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.
Ubuntu Linux· Canonicalrubygems
95%Debian Linux· Debiandrupal
95%WordPress· WordPressdrupal
95%v < 5.5.2
Affected range stops below 5.5.2, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Remediation
No guide yetNo remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:
Patch and advisory references
- https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/commit/d5ddd6d4be1bc9fd16b7796842e6fb26315705ad
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/CHHVNK2WYAM3ZTCXTFSEIT56IKLVJHU3/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/VAVVYJKA2I6CRQUINECDPBGWMQDEG244/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/VUXVUAKL2HL4QYJEPHBNVQQWRMFMII2Y/
- https://wordpress.org/news/2020/10/wordpress-5-5-2-security-and-maintenance-release/
References (8)
x_refsource_MISCPatchThird Party Advisory
Source: [email protected]
https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/commit/d5ddd6d4be1bc9fd16b7796842e6fb26315705adMailing Listx_refsource_MLISTThird Party Advisory
Source: [email protected]
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/11/msg00004.htmlVendor Advisoryx_refsource_FEDORA
Source: [email protected]
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/CHHVNK2WYAM3ZTCXTFSEIT56IKLVJHU3/Vendor Advisoryx_refsource_FEDORA
Source: [email protected]
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/VAVVYJKA2I6CRQUINECDPBGWMQDEG244/Vendor Advisoryx_refsource_FEDORA
Source: [email protected]
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/VUXVUAKL2HL4QYJEPHBNVQQWRMFMII2Y/x_refsource_MISCRelease NotesVendor Advisory
Source: [email protected]
https://wordpress.org/news/2020/10/wordpress-5-5-2-security-and-maintenance-release/Vendor Advisoryx_refsource_DEBIANThird Party Advisory
Source: [email protected]
https://www.debian.org/security/2020/dsa-4784CVSS
- Attack Vector
- NETWORK
- Complexity
- LOW
- Privileges
- NONE
- User Interaction
- NONE
- Scope
- UNCHANGED
- Confidentiality
- NONE
- Integrity
- HIGH
- Availability
- HIGH
Vector?
Quick Info
StatusMODIFIED
CWE
NVD-CWE-noinfo
Get alerted
Stop reading CVE feeds looking for your own stack
Track the products you run and VulnTracker tells you when a new CVE affects them — with what is known about fixing it, and nothing about the rest.
Free plan, no card