VULNERABILITY INTELLIGENCE
CVE-2018-12895
CVSS score8.8 HIGH
EPSS probability62.16%
CISA KEVNot currently listed
Published2018-06-26
Last modified2026-06-17
CVSS vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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.
Weakness classification
- CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
Primary references
- cve@mitre.org — Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- cve@mitre.org — Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- cve@mitre.org — Third Party Advisory
- cve@mitre.org — Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- cve@mitre.org — Third Party Advisory
- cve@mitre.org — Third Party Advisory
- af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 — Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 — Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 — Third Party Advisory
- af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 — Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 — Third Party Advisory
- af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 — Third Party Advisory