CVE-2020-18889Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Administrator password change via forged settings request

Published May 6, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

CSRF in puppyCMS 5.1 allows remote attackers to change an administrator password through a forged settings request. The /admin/settings.php handler accepts a cross-origin POST containing password fields without a request-specific anti-CSRF token. Exploitation requires an administrator with an active session to load attacker-controlled content, after which the chosen password permits administrative account access.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.51%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

CSRF in puppyCMS 5.1 allows remote attackers to change an administrator password through a forged settings request. The /admin/settings.php handler accepts a cross-origin POST containing password fields without a request-specific anti-CSRF token. Exploitation requires an administrator with an active session to load attacker-controlled content, after which the chosen password permits administrative account access.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-18889
Published
May 6, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-352, T1098
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 6, 2021CVE 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

4.3NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N
6.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-352Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
T1098Account Manipulation

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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