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CVE Record

CVE-2020-36719: ListingPro - WordPress Directory & Listing Theme < 2.6.1 - Arbitrary Plugin Installation, Activation and Deactivation

The ListingPro - WordPress Directory & Listing Theme for WordPress is vulnerable to Arbitrary Plugin Installation, Activation and Deactivation in versions before 2.6.1. This is due to a missing capability check on the lp_cc_addons_actions function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to arbitrarily install, activate and deactivate any plugin.

CriticalCVSS 9.8Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysiscritical

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

A vulnerable ListingPro WordPress theme could let an unauthenticated attacker change site plugins. That can turn a public website into a full compromise risk because plugins control significant site behavior and code.

Executive priority

Treat this as urgent for any internet-facing ListingPro site. The weakness requires no login and can affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability through plugin control.

Technical view

ListingPro versions before 2.6.1 lack a capability check in lp_cc_addons_actions. Public sources describe unauthenticated arbitrary plugin installation, activation, and deactivation. The CVE is CVSS 9.8 and maps to CWE-862.

Likely exposure

Public WordPress sites using the ListingPro Directory & Listing Theme before version 2.6.1 are the likely exposed systems. Exposure is especially relevant for internet-facing directory or listing sites.

Exploitation context

The bundle does not show CISA KEV inclusion or cited evidence of active exploitation. The issue is remotely reachable, unauthenticated, and low complexity according to the CVSS vector, so remediation should not wait.

Researcher notes

The key control failure is missing authorization in lp_cc_addons_actions. Sources support versions before 2.6.1 as affected, but the supplied bundle does not provide exploit telemetry or detailed patch diff evidence.

Mitigation direction

  • Update ListingPro to version 2.6.1 or later.
  • If immediate update is impossible, disable or replace the theme temporarily.
  • Review installed, activated, and deactivated plugins for unauthorized changes.
  • Check vendor and theme marketplace guidance for current fixed versions.
  • Harden WordPress admin accounts and plugin installation monitoring.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory WordPress sites for ListingPro theme usage.
  • Confirm every installed ListingPro copy is version 2.6.1 or later.
  • Review WordPress logs for unexpected plugin-management activity.
  • Compare current plugin inventory against a known-good baseline.
  • Run a safe vulnerability scanner that detects CVE-2020-36719.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
5

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

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 · medium confidence lookup

CWE-862: Authorization and privilege behavior lookup

Authorization weaknesses can support privilege escalation and valid-account review, depending on exploit path. 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 lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2020-36719 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
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

Official CVE source material

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.

1CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
4Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We 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.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
9.8CVSS 3.1CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H3.95.9Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

9.8Critical
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2020-36719Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
n/aListingPro - WordPress Directory & Listing Theme0unaffected
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-862

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.