CVE-2026-12511

AI Engine <= 3.5.4 - Authenticated (Editor+) Arbitrary File Write

2026-06-23 00:00
Meher Sudhakar Abbireddi

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 3.5.5
Affected Plugin
AI Engine – The Chatbot, AI Framework & MCP for WordPress
Affected Version
<= 3.5.4
CVSS
7.2High
Weakness type
CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CVE
CVE-2026-12511
View all AI Engine – The Chatbot, AI Framework & MCP for WordPress vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2026-12511 is a high-severity Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in the AI Engine WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 3.5.4. It carries a CVSS score of 7.2 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account at Editor level or above. The issue is fixed in version 3.5.5; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed June 2026, reported by Meher Sudhakar Abbireddi.

Vulnerability Overview

The AI Engine – The Chatbot, AI Framework & MCP for WordPress plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Directory Traversal in all versions up to, and including, 3.5.4. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Editor-level access and above, to write to arbitrary files on the server, which can make remote code execution possible.

Technical Analysis

The vector marks this flaw as remotely reachable over the network, with low attack complexity — no special timing or configuration is needed, and no interaction from a victim user. A successful exploit has high impact on confidentiality, integrity, availability — full site compromise territory.

CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')

Reaching this weakness in AI Engine <= 3.5.4 takes an account at Editor level or above. Path traversal happens when user-controlled text is used to build a filesystem path without being constrained to an intended directory, so sequences like ../ walk the resolved path somewhere else.

Depending on the operation, it means reading files outside the intended folder — wp-config.php being the usual target — or writing to and deleting paths the web server can touch. For AI Engine the fix is 3.5.5: builds <= 3.5.4 are affected, anything from 3.5.5 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 3.5.5, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

An attacker needs Editor access first, so the firewall sees the attempt as traffic from a logged-in account: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: AI Engine 3.5.5 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Firewall
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-12511https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/ea838c4c-d362-4653-8dc1-5c4dbec19ecahttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-12511

Related records

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