BuddyPress Xprofile Custom Fields Type <= 2.6.3 - Arbitrary File Deletion
Strategic Overview
- Status
- Unpatched
- Affected Plugin
- BuddyPress Xprofile Custom Fields Type
- Affected Version
<= 2.6.3- CVSS
- 6.5Medium
- Weakness type
- CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
- CVE
CVE pending
At a glance
This record tracks a medium-severity Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in the BuddyPress Xprofile Custom Fields Type WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 2.6.3. It carries a CVSS score of 6.5 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high availability impact). No fixed release has been reported yet; treat installations running this software as exposed. Disclosed January 2018, reported by Lenon Leite.
Vulnerability Overview
The BuddyPress Xprofile Custom Fields Type plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Arbitrary File Deletion in versions up to, and including, 2.6.3. This is due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with low-level privileges and above to arbitrarily delete files, such as wp-config.php.
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 availability.
CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
Reaching this weakness in BuddyPress Xprofile Custom Fields Type <= 2.6.3 takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. 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. No fixed build of this plugin is recorded for BuddyPress Xprofile Custom Fields Type yet, so installs running <= 2.6.3 stay exposed until the vendor ships one.
Remediation
No known patch available. Please review the vulnerability's details in depth and employ mitigations based on your organization's risk tolerance. It may be best to uninstall the affected software and find a replacement.
How does WordSec protect against this?
The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to BuddyPress Xprofile Custom Fields Type: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. No patched version is recorded yet, which is the case where a filtering layer matters most, because there is nothing to update to.
- Firewall
- Alerts
External References
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