BackWPup <= 5.6.6 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Local File Inclusion via 'block_name' Parameter
Strategic Overview
- Status
- Patched in 5.6.7
- Affected Plugin
- BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin
- Affected Version
<= 5.6.6- CVSS
- 7.2High
- Weakness type
- CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
- CVE
CVE-2026-6227
At a glance
CVE-2026-6227 is a high-severity Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in the BackWPup WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 5.6.6. 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 Administrator level or above. The issue is fixed in version 5.6.7; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed April 2026, reported by Pixel_DefaultBR.
Vulnerability Overview
The BackWPup plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Local File Inclusion via the `block_name` parameter of the `/wp-json/backwpup/v1/getblock` REST endpoint in all versions up to, and including, 5.6.6 due to a non-recursive `str_replace()` sanitization of path traversal sequences. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Administrator-level access and above, to include arbitrary PHP files on the server via crafted traversal sequences (e.g., `....//`), which can be leveraged to read sensitive files such as `wp-config.php` or achieve remote code execution in certain configurations. Administrators have the ability to grant individual users permission to handle backups, which may then allow lower-level users to exploit this vulnerability.
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')
BackWPup <= 5.6.6 carries this weakness at str_replace(), and reaching it takes an account at Administrator 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 BackWPup the fix is 5.6.7: builds <= 5.6.6 are affected, anything from 5.6.7 onward is not.
Remediation
Update to version 5.6.7, or a newer patched version
How does WordSec protect against this?
An attacker needs Administrator 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: BackWPup 5.6.7 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.
- Firewall
- Alerts
External References
Related records
Same weakness class
Other vulnerabilities in BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin
- 9.8CVE-2011-4342: BackWPup <= 1.7.1 Remote File Inclusion
CVE-2011-4342 - 7.5CVE-2023-7164: BackWPup <= 4.0.3 Sensitive Information Exposure
CVE-2023-7164 - 7.5CVE-2017-2551: BackWPup <= 3.4.1 Backup Download
CVE-2017-2551 - 7.2CVE-2026-65443: BackWPup <= 5.7.4 Stored Cross-Site Scripting
CVE-2026-65443 - 7.2CVE-2025-15041: BackWPup 5.0.0 - 5.6.2 Privilege Escalation
CVE-2025-15041 - 6.1CVE-2013-4626: BackWPup < 3.0.13 Cross-Site Scripting
CVE-2013-4626 - 5.3CVE-2025-10579: BackWPup 5 - 5.5.0 Sensitive Information Exposure
CVE-2025-10579 - 2.2CVE-2023-5775: BackWPup Plaintext Storage of Backup Destination
CVE-2023-5775
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