LWS Cleaner <= 2.4.1.3 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Arbitrary File Deletion via 'lws_cl_delete_file'
Strategic Overview
- Status
- Patched in 2.4.2
- Affected Plugin
- LWS Cleaner
- Affected Version
<= 2.4.1.3- CVSS
- 7.2High
- Weakness type
- CWE-36 · Absolute Path Traversal
- CVE
CVE-2025-8575
At a glance
CVE-2025-8575 is a high-severity Absolute Path Traversal vulnerability in the LWS Cleaner WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 2.4.1.3. 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 2.4.2; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed September 2025, reported by Jonas Benjamin Friedli.
Vulnerability Overview
The LWS Cleaner plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion due to insufficient file path validation in the 'lws_cl_delete_file' function in all versions up to, and including, 2.4.1.3. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Administrator-level access and above, to delete arbitrary files on the server, which can easily lead to remote code execution when the right file is deleted (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 confidentiality, integrity, availability — full site compromise territory.
CWE-36: Absolute Path Traversal
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize absolute path sequences such as /abs/path that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory.
Remediation
Update to version 2.4.2, 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: LWS Cleaner 2.4.2 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.
- Firewall
- Alerts
External References
Related records
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