CVE-2020-36847Simple File List < 4.2.3 - Remote Code Execution
- 9.8CriticalCVSS base score
- 59.0%Exploitation in 30 daysEPSS · top 0.9% of all CVEs
- NoKnown exploitednot in CISA's KEV catalog
- 3Public exploitsMetasploit, Nuclei and Exploit-DB
Description
The Simple-File-List Plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution in versions up to, and including, 4.2.2 via the rename function which can be used to rename uploaded PHP code with a png extension to use a php extension. This allows unauthenticated attackers to execute code on the server.
Public exploit
An exploit or proof of concept is public: anyone can try it against an unpatched system. The public collections list a Metasploit module, a Nuclei template and an Exploit-DB entry for it. A reference of the record is tagged as an exploit. CISA's SSVC rates its exploitation: a proof of concept is public.
Show the exploits4
Metasploit modules1 module
- WordPress Simple File List Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution (Metasploit module) (opens in a new tab)
exploit/multi/http/wp_simple_file_list_rceRank gooddisclosed 27 Apr 2020
Nuclei templates1 template
- WordPress Simple File List < 4.2.3 - Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution (Nuclei template) (opens in a new tab)
http/cves/2020/CVE-2020-36847.yamlSeverity critical
Exploit-DB1 entry
- Simple File List WordPress Plugin 4.2.2 - File Upload to RCE (Exploit-DB entry) (opens in a new tab)
EDB-ID 52371webapps, multiplepublished 22 Jul 2025Not verified
References tagged exploit1 reference
Modules, templates and exploits as listed by the Metasploit Framework (BSD-3-Clause), ProjectDiscovery's Nuclei templates (MIT) and the Exploit Database (GPLv2), read once a day. Where the data comes from
Timeline
ID reserved
By Wordfence
- 1 day later
· 1 day later
Published
- 9 months later
· 9 months later
Record updated
- 7 months later
· 7 months later
EPSS rose above 50%
43.5% → 59.0%
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| WordfenceCNA (assigner) | 3.1 | Critical9.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| NVDNVD · Analyzed | 3.1 | Critical9.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 59.0% · top 0.9% of all CVEs (15 Nov 2026)
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation: poc · Automatable: yes · Technical impact: total
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Critical 9.8.
Affected products
- affected < 4.2.3
References
References5
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/9eb835fd-6ebf-4162-856c-0366b663a07e?source=cve (opens in a new tab)
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/2286920/simple-file-list (opens in a new tab)
- https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/160221/ (opens in a new tab)
- https://www.cybersecurity-help.cz/vdb/SB2020042711 (opens in a new tab)
- https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/365da9c5-a8d0-45f6-863c-1b1926ffd574/ (opens in a new tab)exploit
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- EUVD EUVD-2020-30797 (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://cveledger.app/cve/CVE-2020-36847)Record last updated .