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Nagios XiApplication · Nagios

CVE-2020-36863

HIGH · 8.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-10-30
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 5.7.2 or later.
See remediation →
94/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable 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
Nagios XI versions prior to 5.7.2 allow PHP files to be uploaded to the Audio Import directory and executed from that location. The upload handler did not properly restrict file types or enforce storage outside of the webroot, and the web server permitted execution within the upload directory. An authenticated attacker with access to the audio import feature could upload a crafted PHP file and then request it to achieve remote code execution with the privileges of the application service.

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

Nagios XI versions prior to 5.7.2 contain a file upload vulnerability in the Audio Import feature that allows authenticated attackers to upload PHP files to a webroot-accessible directory. The upload handler fails to restrict file types and the web server permits execution of uploaded PHP files, enabling remote code execution with the privileges of the application service.

MitigationUpgrade to Nagios XI 5.7.2 or later which properly restricts file types and stores uploads outside the webroot. As a compensating control, configure the web server to disable PHP execution in upload directories.

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
Nagios XiApplication
Affected:< 5.7.2

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
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/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 Nagios XI installation version
    Locate the Nagios XI version file or use the web interface admin panel to view the installed version number
    Affected if The installed version is below 5.7.2
  2. Verify Audio Import feature status
    Check whether the Audio Import module is enabled in the Nagios XI administration interface under the available components or plugins
    Affected if The Audio Import feature is active and accessible to authenticated users
  3. Locate Audio Import upload directory
    Identify the directory used by the Audio Import feature for storing uploaded files, typically within the Nagios XI web root
    Affected if Uploaded files are stored in a directory accessible via HTTP/HTTPS
  4. Check PHP execution configuration in upload directories
    Review the web server configuration (Apache or Nginx) to determine if PHP execution is permitted in the upload directories used by Audio Import
    Affected if PHP files uploaded through Audio Import can be executed by the web server when accessed via URL

A system is affected if it runs Nagios XI version below 5.7.2 with the Audio Import feature enabled and PHP execution allowed in the upload directory.

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.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 5.7.2 or later
Fixed in 5.7.2
Interim mitigation

Upgrade to Nagios XI 5.7.2 or later which properly restricts file types and stores uploads outside the webroot. As a compensating control, configure the web server to disable PHP execution in upload directories.

Recommended fix High confidence

Nagios XI 5.7.2

  1. Create a complete backup of the Nagios XI system including the database and configuration files
  2. Ensure the system meets all prerequisites for upgrading to Nagios XI 5.7.2
  3. Download Nagios XI version 5.7.2 or later from the official Nagios website (www.nagios.com)
  4. Run the official Nagios XI upgrade script or installer to update to version 5.7.2
  5. After upgrade completion, verify the Audio Import functionality no longer allows PHP file execution
  6. Confirm the web server configuration disables script execution in upload directories
  7. Restart the Nagios XI services to ensure all changes take effect

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Nagios Xi Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation6.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
14.0 hours of engineering $2,490
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,984.

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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-2020-36863 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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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
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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