CVE-2020-12438
CWE-79Published: April 28, 2020· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
Official Description
An XSS vulnerability exists in the banners.php page of PHP-Fusion 9.03.50. This can be exploited because the only security measure used against XSS is the stripping of SCRIPT tags. A malicious actor can use HTML event handlers to run JavaScript instead of using SCRIPT tags.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2020-12438 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
The vulnerability has a "Changed" scope, meaning successful exploitation can impact components beyond the vulnerable component itself — such as the host operating system or adjacent services.
From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-79): Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities allow attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (4)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-79)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2020-12438 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts