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Vulnerability record · CVE-2018-14028 · published 10 August 2018

CVE-2018-14028: Wordpress unrestricted file upload vulnerability

Wordpress · Wordpress

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.

7.2 CVSS 3.0 High EPSS 15% · top 3.4% CWE-434 · Unrestricted file upload
7.2CVSS 3.0 base score, v2 6.5
15%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
1Affected product versions listed by NVD
8References
17 Jun 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

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.

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected products

1 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105060 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/44710 Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/rastating/wordpress-exploit-framework/pull/52 Third Party Advisory
https://rastating.github.io/unrestricted-file-upload-via-plugin-uploader-in-wordpress/ Third Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105060 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/44710 Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/rastating/wordpress-exploit-framework/pull/52 Third Party Advisory
https://rastating.github.io/unrestricted-file-upload-via-plugin-uploader-in-wordpress/ Third Party Advisory

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Related vulnerabilities

Same products first, then exploited flaws of the same weakness class.

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2018-14028), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-26). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.