dbcve.org
Missing AuthorizationWeakness · CWE-862

CVE-2020-36852

CRITICAL · 9.1 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-10-01
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

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 · unedited
The Custom Searchable Data Entry System plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthenticated database wiping in versions up to, and including 1.7.1, due to a missing capability check and lack of sufficient validation on the ghazale_sds_delete_entries_table_row() function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to completely wipe database tables such as wp_users.

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 confidence

The Custom Searchable Data Entry System WordPress plugin has a critical flaw where the ghazale_sds_delete_entries_table_row() function lacks both capability checks and input validation, enabling any unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary database deletions including wiping critical tables like wp_users.

MitigationUpdate to a patched version of the plugin immediately. If no patched version is available, disable and remove the plugin until a fix can be applied. Consider restoring from backup and reviewing server access logs for signs of exploitation.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

CVSS 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
None
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H

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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify if the plugin is installed
    Check your WordPress plugins directory for a folder named 'custom-searchable-data-entry-system' or similar. In WordPress admin, go to Plugins > Installed Plugins and look for a plugin with 'Custom Searchable Data Entry System' or similar naming.
    Affected if The plugin is present in the plugins directory or listed in WordPress admin plugins list
  2. Check the plugin version
    In WordPress admin, find the plugin in Plugins > Installed Plugins and look at the version column. Alternatively, check the main plugin PHP file header for the 'Version' field.
    Affected if The installed version cannot be confirmed as patched because no fixed version was specified in the advisory, treat any unpatched version as potentially vulnerable
  3. Verify if the plugin is active
    In WordPress admin, check if the plugin shows as 'Active' in the Plugins list. Alternatively, query the wp_options table for the active_plugins option.
    Affected if The plugin is active and accessible to unauthenticated users, making the vulnerable function reachable over the network
  4. Check for suspicious database activity or modifications
    Review WordPress debug logs (wp-content/debug.log if enabled), server access logs, and Apache/nginx logs for requests to admin-ajax.php or front-end endpoints that may trigger the delete function. Also inspect wp_options for unexpected modifications.
    Affected if There are log entries showing unauthorized deletion attempts or unexpected modifications to critical tables like wp_users or wp_options
  5. Inspect user table integrity
    Run a database query to verify the wp_users table row count and check for any sudden reduction in user accounts: SELECT COUNT(*) FROM wp_users; Also check wp_usermeta for unexpected changes.
    Affected if The wp_users table shows unexpected deletion of users or the user count has dropped significantly without legitimate admin action

A user is affected if the Custom Searchable Data Entry System plugin is installed and active, exposing the unprotected ghazale_sds_delete_entries_table_row() function that allows unauthenticated database deletions.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Update to a patched version of the plugin immediately. If no patched version is available, disable and remove the plugin until a fix can be applied. Consider restoring from backup and reviewing server access logs for signs of exploitation.

Have this fixed Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation3.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
10.0 hours of engineering $1,750
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2020-36852 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • 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
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data