Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is a critical WordPress plugin issue in GDPR CCPA Compliance Support through version 2.3. An unauthenticated internet user could submit unsafe data that the plugin deserializes, allowing PHP object injection. Business urgency is high for sites using this plugin, but the provided sources do not show confirmed active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat this as urgent for any public WordPress site using the affected plugin. Prioritize discovery and upgrade because the issue is unauthenticated, network reachable, and scored critical. Do not assume active exploitation without separate threat intelligence.
Technical view
CVE-2020-36718 is CWE-502 insecure deserialization in the WordPress GDPR CCPA Compliance Support plugin. The untrusted njt_gdpr_allow_permissions value is deserialized, enabling unauthenticated PHP object injection. CVSS 3.1 is 9.8, network exploitable, low complexity, no privileges, no user interaction, with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely limited to WordPress sites running the affected plugin at version 2.3 or earlier. The bundle does not provide install counts, internet exposure statistics, or evidence that all related product naming maps cleanly across sources.
Exploitation context
The source bundle lists public advisories and WordPress plugin changesets. KEV is false, and no cited source in the bundle confirms active exploitation. The practical impact may depend on available PHP classes and site-specific plugin or theme code.
Researcher notes
Source evidence supports insecure deserialization via njt_gdpr_allow_permissions and unauthenticated PHP object injection through version 2.3. The bundle does not include exploit telemetry, a KEV listing, or detailed exploit preconditions beyond the CVSS vector and advisory descriptions.
Mitigation direction
- Identify all WordPress sites using GDPR CCPA Compliance Support.
- Upgrade the plugin beyond version 2.3 using vendor or WordPress guidance.
- Disable or remove the plugin where immediate upgrade is unavailable.
- Review WordPress logs for suspicious unauthenticated requests involving plugin consent parameters.
- Check vendor advisories before declaring remediation complete.
Validation and detection
- Confirm the installed plugin version is greater than 2.3.
- Verify the vulnerable deserialization path is absent in the deployed plugin code.
- Check asset inventory for duplicate, staging, or abandoned WordPress installs.
- Review WAF and web logs for unusual requests to affected plugin endpoints.
- Document remediation evidence for each public WordPress site.
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-502: 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 lookupCVE-2020-36718 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
- Critical
- CVSS
- 9.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H3.95.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
9.8CriticalVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/a2871261-3231-4a52-9a38-bb3caf461e7d?source=cveCVE reference
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/2408938CVE reference
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/2411356/ninja-gdpr-complianceCVE reference
- https://blog.nintechnet.com/gdpr-ccpa-compliance-support-plugin-fixed-insecure-deserialization-vulnerability/CVE reference
- https://wordpress.org/plugins/ninja-gdpr-compliance/#developersCVE reference
- https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/92f1d6fb-c665-419e-a13b-688b1df6c395CVE 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.
Deserialization of Untrusted Data
Deserialization of Untrusted Data represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.