CVE-2020-5741 Plex Media Server: unsafe data loading
In plain words: The program unpacks saved data from outside without checking it is safe. Usually lets an attacker run code on the server.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Mar 31, 2023
What to do
- Install Plex's security update for Media Server. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
- Patch anything in this catalog first, ahead of normal patch cycles.
- Put admin and file-transfer apps behind a VPN or single sign-on instead of the open internet.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: Mass data theft and ransomware: a single flaw in a file-transfer or email server has exposed thousands of organisations at once.
The details
- Official name
- Plex Media Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
- Product
- Plex Media Server
- CISA description
- Plex Media Server contains a remote code execution vulnerability that allows an attacker with access to the server administrator's Plex account to upload a malicious file via the Camera Upload feature and have the media server execute it.
- Type of flaw
- Unsafe data loading (CWE-502)
- Confirmed exploited
- Mar 10, 2023
- US federal patch deadline
- Mar 31, 2023
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Answering about CVE-2020-5741 ·
Questions about CVE-2020-5741
Is CVE-2020-5741 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2020-5741 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Mar 10, 2023, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2020-5741?
Install Plex's security update for Media Server. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
Am I affected by CVE-2020-5741?
Only if you use Plex Media Server. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.