CVE-2018-12895
WordPress through 4.9.6 allows Author users to execute arbitrary code by leveraging directory...
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.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
8.8
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.
- Record
CVE-2018-12895- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 6.5 Medium
AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
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.
- Record
CVE-2018-12895- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2018-4848 No score
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.
- Record
EUVD-2018-4848- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-v8xj-g4jr-hwhf
8.8
WordPress through 4.9.6 allows Author users to execute arbitrary code by leveraging directory...
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.
- Record
GHSA-v8xj-g4jr-hwhf- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
8.8
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.
- Record
CVE-2018-12895- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2018-12895
8.8
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.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2018-12895- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2018-12895
8.8
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.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2018-12895- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
wordpressDebian:12 |
before 4.9.7+dfsg1-1 | 4.9.7+dfsg1-1 |
wordpressDebian:13 |
before 4.9.7+dfsg1-1 | 4.9.7+dfsg1-1 |
wordpressDebian:14 |
before 4.9.7+dfsg1-1 | 4.9.7+dfsg1-1 |
wordpressDebian:8 From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 4.1+dfsg-1+deb8u18, plus listed versions 4.1+dfsg-14.1+dfsg-1+deb8u14.1+dfsg-1+deb8u104.1+dfsg-1+deb8u114.1+dfsg-1+deb8u12 Show 13 moreShow less4.1+dfsg-1+deb8u134.1+dfsg-1+deb8u144.1+dfsg-1+deb8u154.1+dfsg-1+deb8u164.1+dfsg-1+deb8u174.1+dfsg-1+deb8u24.1+dfsg-1+deb8u34.1+dfsg-1+deb8u44.1+dfsg-1+deb8u54.1+dfsg-1+deb8u64.1+dfsg-1+deb8u74.1+dfsg-1+deb8u84.1+dfsg-1+deb8u9 |
4.1+dfsg-1+deb8u18 |
wordpressDebian:9 |
before 4.7.5+dfsg-2+deb9u4, plus listed versions 4.7.5+dfsg-24.7.5+dfsg-2+deb9u14.7.5+dfsg-2+deb9u1~bpo8+14.7.5+dfsg-2+deb9u24.7.5+dfsg-2+deb9u2~bpo8+14.7.5+dfsg-2+deb9u3 |
4.7.5+dfsg-2+deb9u4 |
wordpressUbuntu:16.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 4.3+dfsg-14.3.1+dfsg-14.4+dfsg-14.4.1+dfsg-14.4.2+dfsg-14.4.2+dfsg-1ubuntu1 |
None known |
wordpressUbuntu:18.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 4.8.2+dfsg-24.8.3+dfsg-14.9.1+dfsg-14.9.2+dfsg-14.9.4+dfsg-14.9.5+dfsg1-1 |
None known |
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| PoC in GitHub | bloom-ux/cve-2018-12895-hotfix | 2018-07-05 |
| Metasploit | Wordpress Arbitrary File Deletion | 2018-06-26 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| affected, exploits, facts | ||
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, Metasploit, NVD, OSV, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2018-12895 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.8) in Wordpress, published June 26, 2018. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 62.2%, the 99th percentile. Fixed in wordpress 4.9.7+dfsg1-1.