CVE-2020-10793 — framework
HIGHCVE-2020-10793 is a high-severity (CVSS 8.8) Improper Privilege Management vulnerability in codeigniter4/framework. 1 public exploit or proof-of-concept reference is indexed, so weaponization risk is real. The records list no fixed version yet; check the vendor advisory below and apply the mitigations in the meantime.
CodeIgniter Improper Privilege Management
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
Where this sits among everything scored
Real-World Exposure
codeigniter4/frameworkReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Packagist packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
CodeIgniter through 4.0.0 allows remote attackers to gain privileges via a modified Email ID to the "Select Role of the User" page. NOTE: A contributor to the CodeIgniter framework argues that the issue should not be attributed to CodeIgniter. Furthermore, the blog post reference shows an unknown website built with the CodeIgniter framework but that CodeIgniter is not responsible for introducing this issue because the framework has never provided a login screen, nor any kind of login or user management facilities beyond a Session library. Also, another reporter indicates the issue is with a custom module/plugin to CodeIgniter, not CodeIgniter itself.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐘Packagist | codeigniter4/framework | all versions | No fix |
Affected Products
codeignitercodeigniterResearch use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for codeigniter4/framework, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Remediation status
The records we use list no patched version of codeigniter4/framework for CVE-2020-10793. Check the maintainer's advisory, and where your build allows, override or pin the dependency away from the vulnerable range.
Mitigate without a patch
Close the privilege gap rather than the entry point: audit which accounts, roles and service identities can reach the affected operation, drop the component to the least privilege it actually needs, and review file and directory permissions created by earlier installs — a default left in place is what makes this reachable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2020-10793 in your dependencies?
Find it across Packagist, including transitive dependencies.