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Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2019-20043

🗓️ 27 Aug 2025 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com👁 2 Views

WordPress REST API lets authenticated users without publish rights mark posts as sticky in 3.7–5.3.0; fixed in 5.3.1.

Related
Refs
Code
ReporterTitlePublishedViews
Family
Circl
CVE-2019-20043
17 Mar 202415:21
circl
CNVD
WordPress Unauthorized Operation Vulnerability (CNVD-2020-03944)
27 Dec 201900:00
cnvd
CVE
CVE-2019-20043
27 Dec 201907:14
cve
Cvelist
CVE-2019-20043
27 Dec 201907:14
cvelist
Debian
[SECURITY] [DSA 4599-1] wordpress security update
8 Jan 202005:47
debian
Debian
[SECURITY] [DSA 4599-1] wordpress security update
8 Jan 202005:47
debian
Debian
[SECURITY] [DSA 4677-1] wordpress security update
6 May 202006:30
debian
Debian
[SECURITY] [DSA 4677-1] wordpress security update
6 May 202006:30
debian
Debian CVE
CVE-2019-20043
27 Dec 201907:14
debiancve
Tenable Nessus
Debian DSA-4599-1 : wordpress - security update
9 Jan 202000:00
nessus
Rows per page
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(255750);
  script_version("1.2");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2026/05/27");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2019-20043");

  script_name(english:"Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2019-20043");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed with a vulnerability that the vendor indicates will not be
patched.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied
patch available.

  - In in wp-includes/rest-api/endpoints/class-wp-rest-posts-controller.php in WordPress 3.7 to 5.3.0,
    authenticated users who do not have the rights to publish a post are able to mark posts as sticky or
    unsticky via the REST API. For example, the contributor role does not have such rights, but this allowed
    them to bypass that. This has been patched in WordPress 5.3.1, along with all the previous WordPress
    versions from 3.7 to 5.3 via a minor release. (CVE-2019-20043)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2019-20043");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"There is no known solution at this time.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"agent", value:"unix");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2019-20043");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vendor_unpatched", value:"true");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2019/12/27");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2025/08/27");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:wordpress");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Misc.");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2025-2026 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info2.nasl", "set_linux_os_id.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/cpu", "Host/local_checks_enabled", "global_settings/vendor_unpatched", "Host/OS/identifier");
  script_require_ports("Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-16.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-18.04");

  exit(0);
}

if (!get_kb_item("global_settings/vendor_unpatched")) exit(0, "Unpatched Vulnerabilities Detection not active.");
if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
if (empty_or_null(get_one_kb_item("Host/Debian/dpkg-l"))) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);

include('linux_unpatched.inc');

var distro_constraints_array = {
  "Ubuntu Linux-16.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "16.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "wordpress"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-18.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "18.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "wordpress"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
};

var distro_constraints_values = linux_unpatched::get_distro_constraints(distro_constraints_arr:distro_constraints_array);
if (empty_or_null(distro_constraints_values)) audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
var report = linux_unpatched::check_unpatched_constraints(distro_constraints_values:distro_constraints_values);

if (!empty_or_null(report))
{
  security_report_v4(
      port       : 0,
      severity   : SECURITY_WARNING,
      extra      : report
  );
  exit(0);
}
else
{
  audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
}

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27 May 2026 00:00Current
6.7Medium risk
Vulners AI Score6.7
CVSS 3.14.3
CVSS 25
EPSS0.0117
2