Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2020-36655 is a high-severity code execution flaw in Yii2 Gii before 2.2.2. If an attacker can use the affected generator, they may cause arbitrary PHP to be written into generated model files, potentially taking over the application.
Executive priority
Treat this as a priority for any Yii application exposing Gii. The business risk is application compromise, but urgency depends on whether the development generator is installed and reachable in deployed environments.
Technical view
The issue is classified as CWE-94. The CVSS 3.1 vector is AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, indicating network reachability, low complexity, required privileges, no user interaction, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely where yii2-gii before 2.2.2 is installed and the Gii generator is reachable by users or remote attackers with required privileges. The provided data does not identify specific CPEs or deployment patterns.
Exploitation context
The CVE description says abuse occurs through the Generator.php messageCategory field to embed arbitrary PHP into a model file. The bundle does not show CISA KEV status or other evidence of active exploitation.
Researcher notes
The source bundle provides a clear RCE description and CVSS vector but lacks CPE data and detailed affected-version metadata beyond “before 2.2.2.” Validate exposure through dependency inventory and access review rather than assuming all Yii2 applications are affected.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade yii2-gii to 2.2.2 or later where applicable.
- Check Yii project guidance for the exact fixed package and upgrade path.
- Restrict or disable Gii access in production environments.
- Review generated model files for unexpected PHP content.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Yii applications for yii2-gii usage and installed versions.
- Confirm whether any Gii routes are reachable outside trusted administrative access.
- Verify that affected instances have been upgraded beyond versions before 2.2.2.
- Inspect recent generated model files for suspicious embedded PHP.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-94: Code execution behavior lookup
Code execution and unsafe deserialization weaknesses often justify reviewing execution behavior and process telemetry. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupExecution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2020-36655 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 8.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H2.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
8.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://lab.wallarm.com/yii2-gii-remote-code-execution/CVE reference
- https://github.com/yiisoft/yii2-gii/issues/433CVE reference
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.