CVE Intelligence
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CVE-2020-37012: Tea LaTeX 1.0 OS Command Injection via api.php

Tea LaTeX 1.0 is described as having an unauthenticated OS command injection flaw reachable through /api.php, rated critical with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8. The issue is tied to the tex2png API action. The record lists no fixed version and no confirmed exploitation.

Published Oct 13, 2026 · Updated Oct 13, 2026 · Ler em português

Overview

The record describes Tea LaTeX 1.0 as containing a remote code execution flaw in its /api.php endpoint. According to the description, an unauthenticated remote party could cause arbitrary shell commands to run when input is processed by the tex2png API action. The weakness is classified as CWE-78, OS Command Injection.

Impact

  • The CVSS 3.1 vector rates confidentiality, integrity and availability impact as high (C:H/I:H/A:H), with a base score of 9.8.
  • VulnCheck, the CNA, also lists a CVSS 4.0 score of 9.3.
  • If exploited as described, an attacker could run commands on the host serving the application. The real consequences depend on the privileges of the service account and on the surrounding environment.

Affected products and versions

  • The description names Tea LaTeX 1.0. The affected list in the record is empty, so no broader affected version range is confirmed.
  • The record lists no fixed version. That does not prove a fix is absent; fix availability is unknown.

Exploitation status

  • The record shows no CISA KEV listing for this CVE, so this analysis does not state that it is exploited in the wild.
  • No confirmed exploitation appears in the sources consulted.
  • The record references an Exploit-DB entry and a VulnCheck advisory. Their presence suggests public discussion or a published reference, but it does not confirm exploitation activity.

Remediation and mitigation

  • Inventory every Tea LaTeX deployment, with priority on instances reachable from the internet.
  • Restrict network access to the application so untrusted sources cannot reach the api.php endpoint until the maintainers confirm a fix.
  • Disable the tex2png functionality if your use case does not require it.
  • Run the service with minimal privileges and isolate it from sensitive systems.
  • Monitor the upstream repository and the VulnCheck advisory for updates.

Detection guidance

  • Review web server and application logs for unusual requests to api.php, especially requests invoking the tex2png action from unfamiliar sources.
  • Watch the application host for unexpected child processes started by the web or PHP service.
  • Alert on outbound connections initiated by the web server process that fall outside normal operation.

Limitations of the available information

  • The record contains only a short description. It does not detail the exact input handling or any affected version range beyond Tea LaTeX 1.0.
  • No fixed version, vendor patch or EPSS score is available in the record.
  • The source status is Deferred, so the information may change.

Frequently asked questions

Is CVE-2020-37012 known to be exploited in the wild?

The record does not show a CISA KEV listing, and no confirmed exploitation appears in the sources consulted. Treat the exposure seriously anyway because the CVSS score is critical.

Is a fixed version available?

The record lists no fixed version, so the fix status is unknown. Check the upstream repository and the VulnCheck advisory for updates.

This analysis was drafted with AI assistance from verified source data and automatically checked against it.