CVE-2020-36728Known exploitationPublic exploitNetwork attack vector

Unauthenticated file deletion via AJAX path traversal

Published Jun 7, 2023 · Updated Apr 8, 2026

Path traversal in Tunafish Adning Advertising 1.5.5 and earlier allows remote attackers to delete arbitrary server files. The unauthenticated _ning_remove_image AJAX handler appends the uid value to the uploads path and passes the resulting path to unlink without capability or nonce checks. Remote attackers must prepare the expected uploads subdirectory; deleting wp-config.php resets the site and enables takeover during reconfiguration.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability3.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path traversal in Tunafish Adning Advertising 1.5.5 and earlier allows remote attackers to delete arbitrary server files. The unauthenticated _ning_remove_image AJAX handler appends the uid value to the uploads path and passes the resulting path to unlink without capability or nonce checks. Remote attackers must prepare the expected uploads subdirectory; deleting wp-config.php resets the site and enables takeover during reconfiguration.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-36728
Published
Jun 7, 2023
Updated
Apr 8, 2026
Vendor
Tunafish
Product
Adning Advertising
Classifications
CWE-22, T1485, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 24, 2020Exploitation reportedWordfence-observed Adning Advertising attacks
  2. Jun 7, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  3. Apr 8, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <=1.5.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Tunafish · Adning Advertisingversion=0 <=1.5.5

Published CVSS scores

9.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.5WordfenceCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/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.

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 exploitationReported
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
T1485Data Destruction
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

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

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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