Joomla\!Application · Joomla
CVE-2020-35612
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedAn issue was discovered in Joomla! 2.5.0 through 3.9.22. The folder parameter of mod_random_image lacked input validation, leading to a path traversal vulnerability.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceA path traversal vulnerability exists in Joomla!'s mod_random_image module due to insufficient input validation on the folder parameter. An attacker can use directory traversal sequences (e.g., ../../) to access files outside the intended images directory, potentially reading sensitive files on the server.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
Joomla\!Application
>= 2.5.0, <= 3.9.22CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check Joomla versionLog into the Joomla Administrator dashboard and look for the version number in the Help > System Information menu, or check the libraries/cms/version/version.php file for the $RELEASE variableAffected if The installed version is between 2.5.0 and 3.9.22 inclusive
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Verify mod_random_image module statusIn the Joomla Administrator panel, go to Extensions > Modules and search for 'Random Image'. Check if the module is published (enabled)Affected if The mod_random_image module is published and enabled on the site
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Confirm module is publicly accessibleIn the module settings, verify if the module is assigned to a menu item that is publicly accessible, or check the 'Access' level setting is set to PublicAffected if The module is enabled and accessible to unauthenticated users (Access level is Public)
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Check module folder configurationOpen the mod_random_image module settings and examine the 'Folder' parameter. Look for whether it uses the default images directory or a custom pathAffected if The folder parameter accepts user input (not restricted to a fixed safe path) and the module is enabled
Your environment is affected if Joomla version is between 2.5.0 and 3.9.22 AND the mod_random_image module is published and accessible, regardless of folder configuration, because the vulnerability exists in the module's input validation logic itself
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataUpgrade Joomla! to version 3.9.23 or later which contains the fix for this path traversal vulnerability in the mod_random_image module.
Fix this in Joomla\!
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,224.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2020-35612 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2020-35612 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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