Description
In WordPress 4.9.7, plugins uploaded via the admin area are not verified as being ZIP files. This allows for PHP files to be uploaded. Once a PHP file is uploaded, the plugin extraction fails, but the PHP file remains in a predictable wp-content/uploads location, allowing for an attacker to then execute the file. This represents a security risk in limited scenarios where an attacker (who does have the required capabilities for plugin uploads) cannot simply place arbitrary PHP code into a valid plugin ZIP file and upload that plugin, because a machine's wp-content/plugins directory permissions were set up to block all new plugins.
References (4)
Core 4
Core References
Third Party Advisory x_refsource_misc
https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/44710
Third Party Advisory x_refsource_misc
https://github.com/rastating/wordpress-exploit-framework/pull/52
Third Party Advisory x_refsource_misc
https://rastating.github.io/unrestricted-file-upload-via-plugin-uploader-in-wordpress/
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry
x_refsource_bid
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105060
Scores
CVSS v3
7.2
EPSS
0.0230
EPSS Percentile
84.8%
Attack Vector
NETWORK
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Details
VulnCheck KEV
2026-04-15
CWE
CWE-434
Status
published
Products (1)
wordpress/wordpress
4.9.7
Published
Aug 10, 2018
Tracked Since
Feb 18, 2026