CVE-2018-12895
WordPress through 4.9.6 allows Author users to execute arbitrary code by leveraging directory traversal in the wp-admin/post.php thumb…
- Published
- Updated
- Reserved
- Assigned by
- mitre
Description
WordPress through 4.9.6 allows Author users to execute arbitrary code by leveraging directory traversal in the wp-admin/post.php thumb parameter, which is passed to the PHP unlink function and can delete the wp-config.php file. This is related to missing filename validation in the wp-includes/post.php wp_delete_attachment function. The attacker must have capabilities for files and posts that are normally available only to the Author, Editor, and Administrator roles. The attack methodology is to delete wp-config.php and then launch a new installation process to increase the attacker's privileges.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDNVD · Modified | 3.1 | High8.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 62.2% · top 0.8% of all CVEs (4 Nov 2026)
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: High 8.8.
Weakness
Affected products
n/a
- affected n/a
References (6)
- https://blog.ripstech.com/2018/wordpress-file-delete-to-code-execution/ (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- 104569 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDx_transferred
- DSA-4250 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_DEBIANx_transferred
- https://wpvulndb.com/vulnerabilities/9100 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- [debian-lts-announce] 20180730 [SECURITY] [DLA 1452-1] wordpress security update (opens in a new tab)mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTx_transferred
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/164633/WordPress-4.9.6-Arbitrary-File-Deletion.html (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://trackcve.app/cve/CVE-2018-12895)Record last updated .