CVE-2020-35589
CWE-79Published: December 21, 2020· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
Official Description
The limit-login-attempts-reloaded plugin before 2.17.4 for WordPress allows wp-admin/options-general.php?page=limit-login-attempts&tab= XSS. A malicious user can cause an administrator user to supply dangerous content to the vulnerable page, which is then reflected back to the user and executed by the web browser. The most common mechanism for delivering malicious content is to include it as a parameter in a URL that is posted publicly or e-mailed directly to victims.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2020-35589 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-2020-35589 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts