Is CVE-2020-13443 actively exploited?

No active exploitation of CVE-2020-13443 has been confirmed so far. Continue monitoring, as exploit status can change.

Can CVE-2020-13443 be exploited remotely?

Yes. CVE-2020-13443 is exploitable remotely over the network (CVSS attack vector: Network).

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2020-13443?

CVE-2020-13443 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (HIGH).

HOME VULNERABILITIESCVE-2020-13443

HIGH

CVE-2020-13443

CWE-434Published: June 24, 2020· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

8.8

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

ExpressionEngine before 5.3.2 allows remote attackers to upload and execute arbitrary code in a .php%20 file via Compose Msg, Add attachment, and Save As Draft actions. A user with low privileges (member) is able to upload this. It is possible to bypass the MIME type check and file-extension check while uploading new files. Short aliases are not used for an attachment; instead, direct access is allowed to the uploaded files. It is possible to upload PHP only if one has member access, or registration/forum is enabled and one can create a member with the default group id of 5. To exploit this, one must to be able to send and compose messages (at least).

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2020-13443 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.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 8.8.