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CVE-2018-14028

In WordPress 4.9.7, plugins uploaded via the admin area are not verified as being ZIP files. This...

7.2 High

In WordPress 4.9.7, plugins uploaded via the admin area are not verified as being ZIP files. This allows for PHP files to be uploaded. Once a PHP file is uploaded, the plugin extraction fails, but the PHP file remains in a predictable wp-content/uploads location, allowing for an attacker to then execute the file. This represents a security risk in limited scenarios where an attacker (who does have the required capabilities for plugin uploads) cannot simply place arbitrary PHP code into a valid plugin ZIP file and upload that plugin, because a machine's wp-content/plugins directory permissions were set up to block all new plugins.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
High
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

15.2%Up 14.1 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

NVD Score used 7.2

In WordPress 4.9.7, plugins uploaded via the admin area are not verified as being ZIP files. This allows for PHP files to be uploaded. Once a PHP file is uploaded, the plugin extraction fails, but the PHP file remains in a predictable wp-content/uploads location, allowing for an attacker to then execute the file. This represents a security risk in limited scenarios where an attacker (who does have the required capabilities for plugin uploads) cannot simply place arbitrary PHP code into a valid plugin ZIP file and upload that plugin, because a machine's wp-content/plugins directory permissions were set up to block all new plugins.

Record
CVE-2018-14028
CVSS 3.0
7.2 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/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-434
Updated
2026-11-02
CVE List No score

In WordPress 4.9.7, plugins uploaded via the admin area are not verified as being ZIP files. This allows for PHP files to be uploaded. Once a PHP file is uploaded, the plugin extraction fails, but the PHP file remains in a predictable wp-content/uploads location, allowing for an attacker to then execute the file. This represents a security risk in limited scenarios where an attacker (who does have the required capabilities for plugin uploads) cannot simply place arbitrary PHP code into a valid plugin ZIP file and upload that plugin, because a machine's wp-content/plugins directory permissions were set up to block all new plugins.

Record
CVE-2018-14028
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2018-5958 No score

In WordPress 4.9.7, plugins uploaded via the admin area are not verified as being ZIP files. This allows for PHP files to be uploaded. Once a PHP file is uploaded, the plugin extraction fails, but the PHP file remains in a predictable wp-content/uploads location, allowing for an attacker to then execute the file. This represents a security risk in limited scenarios where an attacker (who does have the required capabilities for plugin uploads) cannot simply place arbitrary PHP code into a valid plugin ZIP file and upload that plugin, because a machine's wp-content/plugins directory permissions were set up to block all new plugins.

Record
EUVD-2018-5958
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-fm2w-6w3p-hhx6 7.2

In WordPress 4.9.7, plugins uploaded via the admin area are not verified as being ZIP files. This...

In WordPress 4.9.7, plugins uploaded via the admin area are not verified as being ZIP files. This allows for PHP files to be uploaded. Once a PHP file is uploaded, the plugin extraction fails, but the PHP file remains in a predictable wp-content/uploads location, allowing for an attacker to then execute the file. This represents a security risk in limited scenarios where an attacker (who does have the required capabilities for plugin uploads) cannot simply place arbitrary PHP code into a valid plugin ZIP file and upload that plugin, because a machine's wp-content/plugins directory permissions were set up to block all new plugins.

Record
GHSA-fm2w-6w3p-hhx6
CVSS 3.0
7.2 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-434
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 7.2

In WordPress 4.9.7, plugins uploaded via the admin area are not verified as being ZIP files. This allows for PHP files to be uploaded. Once a PHP file is uploaded, the plugin extraction fails, but the PHP file remains in a predictable wp-content/uploads location, allowing for an attacker to then execute the file. This represents a security risk in limited scenarios where an attacker (who does have the required capabilities for plugin uploads) cannot simply place arbitrary PHP code into a valid plugin ZIP file and upload that plugin, because a machine's wp-content/plugins directory permissions were set up to block all new plugins.

Record
CVE-2018-14028
CVSS 3.0
7.2 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2018-14028 7.2

In WordPress 4.9.7, plugins uploaded via the admin area are not verified as being ZIP files. This allows for PHP files to be uploaded. Once a PHP file is uploaded, the plugin extraction fails, but the PHP file remains in a predictable wp-content/uploads location, allowing for an attacker to then execute the file. This represents a security risk in limited scenarios where an attacker (who does have the required capabilities for plugin uploads) cannot simply place arbitrary PHP code into a valid plugin ZIP file and upload that plugin, because a machine's wp-content/plugins directory permissions were set up to block all new plugins.

Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2018-14028
CVSS 3.0
7.2 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2018-14028 7.2

In WordPress 4.9.7, plugins uploaded via the admin area are not verified as being ZIP files. This allows for PHP files to be uploaded. Once a PHP file is uploaded, the plugin extraction fails, but the PHP file remains in a predictable wp-content/uploads location, allowing for an attacker to then execute the file. This represents a security risk in limited scenarios where an attacker (who does have the required capabilities for plugin uploads) cannot simply place arbitrary PHP code into a valid plugin ZIP file and upload that plugin, because a machine's wp-content/plugins directory permissions were set up to block all new plugins.

Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2018-14028
CVSS 3.0
7.2 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
wordpress
Debian:12
All versions, plus listed versions
6.1.1+dfsg1-16.1.6+dfsg1-0+deb12u16.1.9+dfsg1-0+deb12u16.2+dfsg1-16.2.1+dfsg1-1
Show 26 moreShow less
6.2.2+dfsg1-16.3+dfsg1-16.3.1+dfsg1-16.3.2+dfsg1-16.4.1+dfsg1-16.4.1+dfsg1-1.16.4.2+dfsg1-16.4.3+dfsg1-16.5+dfsg1-16.5.2+dfsg1-16.5.3+dfsg1-16.5.5+dfsg1-16.6.1+dfsg1-16.7.2+dfsg1-16.7.2+dfsg1-1.16.8.1+dfsg1-16.8.3+dfsg1-16.9+dfsg1-16.9.4+dfsg1-17.0+dfsg1-17.0.2+dfsg1-17.0.3+dfsg1-17.1+dfsg1-17.1.1+dfsg1-17.1.2+dfsg1-17.1.3+dfsg1-1
None known
wordpress
Debian:13
All versions, plus listed versions
6.8.1+dfsg1-16.8.10+dfsg1-0+deb13u16.8.3+dfsg1-0+deb13u16.8.3+dfsg1-16.8.6+dfsg1-0+deb13u1
Show 10 moreShow less
6.8.7+dfsg1-0+deb13u16.9+dfsg1-16.9.4+dfsg1-17.0+dfsg1-17.0.2+dfsg1-17.0.3+dfsg1-17.1+dfsg1-17.1.1+dfsg1-17.1.2+dfsg1-17.1.3+dfsg1-1
None known
wordpress
Debian:14
All versions, plus listed versions
6.8.1+dfsg1-16.8.3+dfsg1-16.9+dfsg1-16.9.4+dfsg1-17.0+dfsg1-1
Show 6 moreShow less
7.0.2+dfsg1-17.0.3+dfsg1-17.1+dfsg1-17.1.1+dfsg1-17.1.2+dfsg1-17.1.3+dfsg1-1
None known
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
wordpress
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
5.2.2+dfsg1-15.2.4+dfsg1-15.3.2+dfsg1-15.3.2+dfsg1-1ubuntu1
None known
wordpress
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
5.7.1+dfsg1-2ubuntu15.8.1+dfsg1-2ubuntu15.8.2+dfsg1-1ubuntu15.8.3+dfsg1-1ubuntu15.8.3+dfsg1-1ubuntu1.1
None known
wordpress
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
6.2+dfsg1-1ubuntu16.4.3+dfsg1-1ubuntu1
None known
wordpress
Ubuntu:25.10
All versions, plus listed versions
6.7.2+dfsg1-1.1ubuntu1
None known
wordpress
Ubuntu:26.10
All versions, plus listed versions
6.7.2+dfsg1-1.1ubuntu2
None known
wordpress
Ubuntu:26.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
6.7.2+dfsg1-1.1ubuntu16.7.2+dfsg1-1.1ubuntu2
None known

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2018-14028 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.2) in Wordpress, published August 10, 2018. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 15.2%, the 96th percentile. No source names a fixed version.

References

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