Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Older Visual Composer Website Builder versions for WordPress can allow a highly privileged attacker to place script content that runs in another user's browser. The main business risk is account/session abuse or content manipulation inside WordPress, not direct server takeover.
Executive priority
Treat this as a moderate-priority WordPress hygiene issue. It is not described as actively exploited in the provided evidence, but exposed privileged WordPress accounts could turn it into browser-based compromise or content tampering.
Technical view
CVE-2020-36722 is a CWE-79 cross-site scripting issue in Visual Composer Website Builder through version 26.0. The reported cause is insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. CVSS 3.1 is 5.5, with network access, low complexity, high privileges required, changed scope, and low confidentiality and integrity impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on WordPress sites running Visual Composer Website Builder version 26.0 or earlier, especially where multiple administrators or privileged content editors have access.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not show CISA KEV listing or confirmed active exploitation. The CVSS vector indicates exploitation requires high privileges, but no user interaction is required once the attacker has that access.
Researcher notes
Evidence is limited to public vulnerability records and references. The bundle identifies affected versions through 26.0 and the XSS class, but does not provide exploit details or a precise patched version. Avoid assuming unauthenticated exposure because CVSS lists high privileges required.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory WordPress sites using Visual Composer Website Builder.
- Replace versions 26.0 or earlier with a current vendor-supported release.
- Check vendor, WPScan, Wordfence, and plugin guidance for exact fixed-version information.
- Limit administrative and high-privilege editor access to trusted users.
- Review WordPress accounts for unnecessary elevated privileges.
Validation and detection
- Confirm installed Visual Composer Website Builder versions across all WordPress sites.
- Flag any installation at version 26.0 or earlier for remediation.
- Review plugin change history or vendor advisory for the fixed release line.
- Check WordPress audit logs for suspicious privileged content changes.
- Verify no untrusted accounts hold administrator or equivalent roles.
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-79: User-session and phishing behavior lookup
Client-side and session-facing weaknesses should be reviewed alongside initial-access and user-execution behaviors. 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-2020-36722 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
- Medium
- CVSS
- 5.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
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:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N2.32.7Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.5MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/c476d9af-9060-4294-874a-86e550253d3b?source=cveCVE reference
- https://blog.nintechnet.com/multiple-xss-vulnerabilities-fixed-in-wordpress-visual-composer-plugin/CVE reference
- https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/10229CVE reference
- https://www.acunetix.com/vulnerabilities/web/wordpress-plugin-visual-composer-website-builder-multiple-cross-site-scripting-vulnerabilities-26-0/CVE 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 Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.