CVE-2016-20010Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Authenticated command injection via multisite optimizer settings

Published May 5, 2021 · Updated Aug 6, 2024

Command injection in EWWW Image Optimizer before 2.8.5 allows remote authenticated users to execute commands through multisite settings. Network-wide optipng and pngout level values from a settings POST are stored and later interpolated into exec() command strings; the 2.8.4 hardening also used boolval(), which does not exist on PHP before 5.5. Exploitation requires WordPress multisite, a logged-in user, and PNG processing; injected commands run with the web server's privileges.

CVSS severity10.0
Critical
EPSS probability3.70%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Command injection in EWWW Image Optimizer before 2.8.5 allows remote authenticated users to execute commands through multisite settings. Network-wide optipng and pngout level values from a settings POST are stored and later interpolated into exec() command strings; the 2.8.4 hardening also used boolval(), which does not exist on PHP before 5.5. Exploitation requires WordPress multisite, a logged-in user, and PNG processing; injected commands run with the web server's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2016-20010
Published
May 5, 2021
Updated
Aug 6, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
T1059
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 5, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 6, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
9.6WordfenceCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
10.0NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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