CVE-2016-2221
Open redirect vulnerability in the wp_validate_redirect function in wp-includes/pluggable.php in...
Open redirect vulnerability in the wp_validate_redirect function in wp-includes/pluggable.php in WordPress before 4.4.2 allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via a malformed URL that triggers incorrect hostname parsing, as demonstrated by an https:example.com URL.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- Required
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
Open redirect vulnerability in the wp_validate_redirect function in wp-includes/pluggable.php in WordPress before 4.4.2 allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via a malformed URL that triggers incorrect hostname parsing, as demonstrated by an https:example.com URL.
- Record
CVE-2016-2221- CVSS 3.0
- 7.4 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N - CVSS 2.0
- 5.8 Medium
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
Open redirect vulnerability in the wp_validate_redirect function in wp-includes/pluggable.php in WordPress before 4.4.2 allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via a malformed URL that triggers incorrect hostname parsing, as demonstrated by an https:example.com URL.
- Record
CVE-2016-2221- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2016-3305 No score
Open redirect vulnerability in the wp_validate_redirect function in wp-includes/pluggable.php in WordPress before 4.4.2 allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via a malformed URL that triggers incorrect hostname parsing, as demonstrated by an https:example.com URL.
- Record
EUVD-2016-3305- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-fwqj-qf3c-gm6c
Open redirect vulnerability in the wp_validate_redirect function in wp-includes/pluggable.php in...
Open redirect vulnerability in the wp_validate_redirect function in wp-includes/pluggable.php in WordPress before 4.4.2 allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via a malformed URL that triggers incorrect hostname parsing, as demonstrated by an https:example.com URL.
- Record
GHSA-fwqj-qf3c-gm6c- CVSS 3.0
- 7.4 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
Open redirect vulnerability in the wp_validate_redirect function in wp-includes/pluggable.php in WordPress before 4.4.2 allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via a malformed URL that triggers incorrect hostname parsing, as demonstrated by an https:example.com URL.
- Record
CVE-2016-2221- CVSS 3.0
- 7.4 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2016-2221
Open redirect vulnerability in the wp_validate_redirect function in wp-includes/pluggable.php in WordPress before 4.4.2 allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via a malformed URL that triggers incorrect hostname parsing, as demonstrated by an https:example.com URL.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2016-2221- CVSS 3.0
- 7.4 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2016-2221
Open redirect vulnerability in the wp_validate_redirect function in wp-includes/pluggable.php in WordPress before 4.4.2 allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via a malformed URL that triggers incorrect hostname parsing, as demonstrated by an https:example.com URL.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2016-2221- CVSS 3.0
- 7.4 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
wordpressDebian:12 |
before 4.4.2+dfsg-1 | 4.4.2+dfsg-1 |
wordpressDebian:13 |
before 4.4.2+dfsg-1 | 4.4.2+dfsg-1 |
wordpressDebian:14 |
before 4.4.2+dfsg-1 | 4.4.2+dfsg-1 |
wordpressDebian:6.0 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 3.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u9, plus listed versions 3.0.4+dfsg-13.0.5+dfsg-0+squeeze13.0.5+dfsg-13.2.1+dfsg-13.2.1+dfsg-2 Show 25 moreShow less3.2.1+dfsg-33.3+dfsg-13.3.1+dfsg-13.3.2+dfsg-13.3.2+dfsg-1~squeeze13.4+dfsg-13.4+dfsg-23.4+dfsg-33.4.1+dfsg-13.4.2+dfsg-13.5+dfsg-13.5.1+dfsg-13.5.1+dfsg-23.5.2+dfsg-13.5.2+dfsg-1~deb6u13.5.2+dfsg-1~deb7u13.6+dfsg-13.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u13.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u23.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u33.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u43.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u53.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u63.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u73.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u8 |
3.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u9 |
wordpressDebian:7 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 3.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u10, plus listed versions 3.5.1+dfsg-23.5.2+dfsg-13.5.2+dfsg-1~deb6u13.5.2+dfsg-1~deb7u13.6+dfsg-1 Show 17 moreShow less3.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u13.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u23.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u33.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u43.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u53.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u63.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u73.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u83.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u93.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u13.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u23.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u33.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u43.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u53.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u63.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u83.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u9 |
3.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u10 |
wordpressDebian:8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 4.1+dfsg-1+deb8u8, plus listed versions 4.1+dfsg-14.1+dfsg-1+deb8u14.1+dfsg-1+deb8u24.1+dfsg-1+deb8u34.1+dfsg-1+deb8u44.1+dfsg-1+deb8u54.1+dfsg-1+deb8u64.1+dfsg-1+deb8u7 |
4.1+dfsg-1+deb8u8 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| affected, facts | ||
| affected | ||
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2016-2221 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.4) in Wordpress, published February 8, 2016. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 4.45%, the 91st percentile. Fixed in wordpress 4.4.2+dfsg-1.