CVE-2023-5504
BackWPup <= 4.0.1 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Directory Traversal
The BackWPup plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Directory Traversal in versions up to, and including, 4.0.1 via the Log File Folder. This allows authenticated attackers to store backups in arbitrary folders on the server provided they can be written to by the server. Additionally, default settings will place an index.php and a .htaccess file into the chosen directory (unless already present) when the first backup job is run that are intended to prevent directory listing and file access. This means that an attacker could set the backup directory to the root of another site in a shared environment and thus disable that site.
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
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
8.7
BackWPup <= 4.0.1 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Directory Traversal
The BackWPup plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Directory Traversal in versions up to, and including, 4.0.1 via the Log File Folder. This allows authenticated attackers to store backups in arbitrary folders on the server provided they can be written to by the server. Additionally, default settings will place an index.php and a .htaccess file into the chosen directory (unless already present) when the first backup job is run that are intended to prevent directory listing and file access. This means that an attacker could set the backup directory to the root of another site in a shared environment and thus disable that site.
- Record
CVE-2023-5504- CVSS 3.1
- 8.7 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-57818
8.7
The BackWPup plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Directory Traversal in versions up to, and including, 4.0.1 via the Log File Folder. This allows authenticated attackers to store backups in arbitrary folders on the server provided they can be written to by the server. Additionally, default settings will place an index.php and a .htaccess file into the chosen directory (unless already present) when the first backup job is run that are intended to prevent directory listing and file access. This means that an attacker could set the backup directory to the root of another site in a shared environment and thus disable that site.
- Record
EUVD-2023-57818- CVSS 3.1
- 8.7 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-mh4j-2c4w-jxfr
8.7
The BackWPup plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Directory Traversal in versions up to, and...
The BackWPup plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Directory Traversal in versions up to, and including, 4.0.1 via the Log File Folder. This allows authenticated attackers to store backups in arbitrary folders on the server provided they can be written to by the server. Additionally, default settings will place an index.php and a .htaccess file into the chosen directory (unless already present) when the first backup job is run that are intended to prevent directory listing and file access. This means that an attacker could set the backup directory to the root of another site in a shared environment and thus disable that site.
- Record
GHSA-mh4j-2c4w-jxfr- CVSS 3.1
- 8.7 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
8.7
The BackWPup plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Directory Traversal in versions up to, and including, 4.0.1 via the Log File Folder. This allows authenticated attackers to store backups in arbitrary folders on the server provided they can be written to by the server. Additionally, default settings will place an index.php and a .htaccess file into the chosen directory (unless already present) when the first backup job is run that are intended to prevent directory listing and file access. This means that an attacker could set the backup directory to the root of another site in a shared environment and thus disable that site.
- Record
CVE-2023-5504- CVSS 3.1
- 8.7 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-22
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2023-5504 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.7) in Inpsyde Backwpup, published January 11, 2024. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.92%, the 60th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/e830fe1e-1171-46da-8ee7-0a6654153f18?source=cve
plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/backwpup/trunk/inc/class-page-settings.php?rev=2818974
plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?sfp_email=&sfph_mail=&reponame=&new=3000176%40backwpup%2Ftrunk&old=2980789%40backwpup%2Ftrunk&sfp_email=&sfph_mail=
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-5504
github.com/advisories/GHSA-mh4j-2c4w-jxfr