CVE-2026-11911

Simple File List <= 6.3.7 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary File Deletion via Path Traversal in 'eeSubFolder' Parameter

2026-06-19 20:27
Chloe Chamberland

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 6.3.8
Affected Plugin
Simple File List
Affected Version
<= 6.3.7
CVSS
7.5High
Weakness type
CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CVE
CVE-2026-11911
View all Simple File List vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2026-11911 is a high-severity Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in the Simple File List WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 6.3.7. It carries a CVSS score of 7.5 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality impact). Exploitation requires no authentication. The issue is fixed in version 6.3.8; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed June 2026, reported by Chloe Chamberland.

Vulnerability Overview

The Simple File List plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion due to insufficient file path validation in the eeSFL_DeleteFile function in all versions up to, and including, 6.3.7. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers 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). The simplefilelist_edit_job AJAX action is registered via wp_ajax_nopriv_, making it accessible without authentication, and the is_admin() guard that would otherwise restrict access is bypassed because is_admin() always returns true for requests to the admin-ajax.php endpoint.

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 privileges on the target site, 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')

Simple File List <= 6.3.7 carries this weakness at is_admin(), and reaching it takes no account at all. 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 Simple File List the fix is 6.3.8: builds <= 6.3.7 are affected, anything from 6.3.8 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 6.3.8, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

Requests carrying this pattern arrive without a session, so nothing upstream of the firewall gets a chance to reject them: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Simple File List 6.3.8 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Firewall
  • Login Security
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-11911https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/748c4ca8-fcbf-43e5-ab70-721e83253663https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-11911

Related records

Vulnerability data © Defiant, Inc., provided under the Wordfence Intelligence T&C