# CVE-2020-36847 — eemitch Simple File List

> As of 2026-04-08, CVE-2020-36847 is a CRITICAL-severity vulnerability in eemitch Simple File List, CVSS v3.1 9.8, EPSS 12.6% (95.7th percentile). Threadlinqs Intelligence links 2 tracked threat campaigns to CVE-2020-36847, most recently “Australia (ACSC) Warns of Global Campaign Exploiting Vulnerable CMS Platforms to Deploy Webshells”.

**Last updated:** 2026-04-08

## What is CVE-2020-36847?

The Simple-File-List Plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution in versions up to, and including, 4.2.2 via the rename function which can be used to rename uploaded PHP code with a png extension to use a php extension. This allows unauthenticated attackers to execute code on the server.

The record classifies CVE-2020-36847 under weakness class [CWE-434](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/434.html). Its CVSS v3 base vector states that the flaw is reachable remotely over the network, needs no prior authentication, needs no user interaction, and has high impact on confidentiality, integrity, availability. 1 affected-product entry is recorded, across 1 vendor, listed below. The identifier was first published 428 days ago.

## Severity and exploitation probability

- **CVSS v3.1 base score:** 9.8 — CRITICAL (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **EPSS (FIRST):** 12.6% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 95.7% of all scored CVEs
- **CISA KEV:** Not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog
- **Threadlinqs priority:** 10/10 — a Threadlinqs composite of the CVSS base score, the EPSS percentile and public exploit availability
- **Published:** 2025-07-12, last modified 2026-04-08

## Is CVE-2020-36847 being exploited?

Weaponised exploit code for CVE-2020-36847 is publicly available. 1 public proof-of-concept repository is tracked for this identifier.

- [trickest/cve](https://github.com/trickest/cve/blob/main/2020/CVE-2020-36847.md) (trickest)

## Affected products and versions

- **eemitch**: Simple File List

## How to fix CVE-2020-36847

The record marks a vendor fix as available for CVE-2020-36847. Patch reference: [https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/2286920/simple-file-list](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/2286920/simple-file-list). Apply the vendor fix referenced above to every affected product listed in this record, then confirm the running version against the vendor advisory.

## Threat activity tracking CVE-2020-36847

2 tracked threats in the Threadlinqs corpus reference CVE-2020-36847, either in the campaign’s CVE list or as an indicator on the campaign record.

- [Australia (ACSC) Warns of Global Campaign Exploiting Vulnerable CMS Platforms to Deploy Webshells](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/threat/TL-2026-1224) — CRITICAL · 2026-07-11
- [WP-SHELLSTORM: Exposed Chinese-Speaking Threat Actor Server Reveals Mass WordPress/Joomla Webshell Brokerage Targeting 1.4M Domains via CVE-2026-48907 (Joomla JCE) and CVE-2021-29441 (Nacos)](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/threat/TL-2026-1180) — HIGH · 2026-07-10

## Sources

Enriched from CVE.org, NVD, FIRST EPSS, GitHub Security Advisories, public proof-of-concept repositories. Last verified by Threadlinqs on 2026-07-10. This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.

**Other references**

- [wordfence.com](https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/9eb835fd-6ebf-4162-856c-0366b663a07e?source=cve)
- [plugins.trac.wordpress.org](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/2286920/simple-file-list)
- [packetstormsecurity.com](https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/160221/)
- [cybersecurity-help.cz](https://www.cybersecurity-help.cz/vdb/SB2020042711)
- [wpscan.com](https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/365da9c5-a8d0-45f6-863c-1b1926ffd574/)

Canonical: https://intel.threadlinqs.com/cve/CVE-2020-36847
Full detection coverage and IOCs for threats exploiting CVE-2020-36847 via the Threadlinqs MCP server (Purple tier): https://intel.threadlinqs.com/mcp