The Advanced Custom Fields plugin before 5.8.12 for WordPress mishandles the escaping of strings in Select2 dropdowns, potentially leading to XSS.
CVE-2020-36172 is a medium severity with CVSS 6.1 Cross-Site Scripting issue affecting the Plugin Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®). It affects Versions before 5.8.12 and is fixed in 5.8.12.
Use the related hub and response guides to connect this CVE-2020-36172 report with patch validation, scanner checks, and site hardening work.
Open the grouped hub for related CVEs, affected ranges, severity mix, and patch coverage.
Check access, XML-RPC exposure, backup readiness, and monitoring after patching.
Use containment, evidence capture, remediation, and validation steps when exploit risk is high.
CVE-2020-36172 is tracked for the Plugin Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) as medium severity with CVSS 6.1. The affected range is Versions before 5.8.12. Update Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) to 5.8.12 or newer where that version is compatible with the site.
Search engines and operators need more than a title. This page exposes the identifier, affected range, patch evidence, and source coverage that make the vulnerability actionable.
This report has a CVE identifier, which makes it suitable for focused search and vulnerability triage workflows.
Affected version data gives operators a concrete comparison point against installed WordPress software.
A fixed version is present, so the page can answer update and remediation intent directly.
External references are available for source validation, advisory review, and incident notes.
Use these checks when converting this record into a patch ticket, incident note, or risk acceptance decision.
Inventory the installed Plugin package and compare its version with Versions before 5.8.12.
Confirm Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) is updated to 5.8.12 or newer.
Review references and CVSS vector details for exploitability, authentication requirements, and exposure path.
After patching, re-run vulnerability monitoring and keep the related plugin or theme hub under review for follow-up CVEs.
| Software Type | Plugin |
|---|---|
| Software Slug |
advanced-custom-fields
View on wordpress.org
|
| CVE | CVE-2020-36172 |
| Patched Versions |
5.8.12
|
| Affected Versions |
Versions before 5.8.12
|
These internal links group the same WordPress plugin by CVE, issue type, severity, and patch status so operators and search engines can connect the full vulnerability cluster.
Advanced Custom Fields <= 6.0.7 - Authenticated (Contributor+) PHP Object Injection
Advanced Custom Fields <= 5.10 - Missing Authorization to Information Disclosure
Advanced Custom Fields <= 5.12 - Authenticated Information Disclosure
Advanced Custom Fields <= 5.10 - Missing Authorization to Information Disclosure
Advanced Custom Fields <= 6.2.4 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Custom Field
Advanced Custom Fields (Free and Pro) 5.8.10 to 5.12.5 & 6.0.0 to 6.1.5 - Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via 'post_status'
Advanced Custom Fields <= 6.3.5 - Authenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting
Advanced Custom Fields <= 5.7.7 - Author+ Stored Cross-Site Scripting
This record contains material that is subject to copyright
License: Defiant hereby grants you a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free, irrevocable copyright license to reproduce, prepare derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, sublicense, and distribute this software vulnerability information. Any copy of the software vulnerability information you make for such purposes is authorized provided that you include a hyperlink to this vulnerability record and reproduce Defiant's copyright designation and this license in any such copy. Read more
License: CVE Usage: MITRE hereby grants you a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free, irrevocable copyright license to reproduce, prepare derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, sublicense, and distribute Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE®). Any copy you make for such purposes is authorized provided that you reproduce MITRE's copyright designation and this license in any such copy. Read more
