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CVE-2018-12895

WordPress through 4.9.6 allows Author users to execute arbitrary code by leveraging directory...

8.8 HighPublic exploitFix available

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

62.2%Up 53.1 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

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 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0
6.5 MediumAV: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 HighCVSS: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 HighCVSS: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 HighCVSS: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 HighCVSS: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

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
wordpress
Debian:12
before 4.9.7+dfsg1-1
4.9.7+dfsg1-1
wordpress
Debian:13
before 4.9.7+dfsg1-1
4.9.7+dfsg1-1
wordpress
Debian:14
before 4.9.7+dfsg1-1
4.9.7+dfsg1-1
wordpress
Debian: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 less
4.1+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
wordpress
Debian: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
wordpress
Ubuntu: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
wordpress
Ubuntu: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.

Public exploits
SourceLinkDate
PoC in GitHubbloom-ux/cve-2018-12895-hotfix2018-07-05
MetasploitWordpress Arbitrary File Deletion2018-06-26

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
affected, exploits, facts
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE 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.

References

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