CVE-2025-8081

Elementor <= 3.30.2 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Arbitrary File Read via Image Import

2025-08-11 17:08
mikemyers

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 3.30.3
Affected Plugin
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder
Affected Version
<= 3.30.2
CVSS
4.9Medium
Weakness type
CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CVE
CVE-2025-8081
View all Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2025-8081 is a medium-severity Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in the Elementor Website Builder WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 3.30.2. It carries a CVSS score of 4.9 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account at Administrator level or above. The issue is fixed in version 3.30.3; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed August 2025, reported by mikemyers.

Vulnerability Overview

The Elementor plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Arbitrary File Read in all versions up to, and including, 3.30.2 via the Import_Images::import() function due to insufficient controls on the filename specified. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with administrator-level access and above, to read the contents of arbitrary files on the server, which can contain sensitive information.

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.

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

Elementor Website Builder <= 3.30.2 carries this weakness at import(), 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 Elementor Website Builder the fix is 3.30.3: builds <= 3.30.2 are affected, anything from 3.30.3 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 3.30.3, 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: Elementor Website Builder 3.30.3 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Firewall
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-8081https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/13929b51-b32e-401c-a642-49f7cd2d07bfhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-8081

Related records

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