CVE-2020-13693Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Unauthenticated forum-admin escalation via trusted signup role

Published May 28, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Improper privilege management in bbPress before 2.6.5 allows remote attackers to gain forum-administrator access during registration. The bbp_user_add_role_to_signup_meta function accepts a posted bbp-forums-role value and stores any recognized dynamic role, including bbp_keymaster, in signup metadata. Exploitation requires enabled WordPress registration and a bbPress registration form exposing a nonce; the resulting Keymaster can control forum content and users.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability43.88%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper privilege management in bbPress before 2.6.5 allows remote attackers to gain forum-administrator access during registration. The bbp_user_add_role_to_signup_meta function accepts a posted bbp-forums-role value and stores any recognized dynamic role, including bbp_keymaster, in signup metadata. Exploitation requires enabled WordPress registration and a bbPress registration form exposing a nonce; the resulting Keymaster can control forum content and users.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-13693
Published
May 28, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-269, T1136.001
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 28, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 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 privilegesunauthenticated

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
9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
T1136.001Create Account: Local Account

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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