CVE-2024-9939

WordPress File Upload <= 4.24.13 - Unauthenticated Path Traversal to Arbitrary File Read in wfu_file_downloader.php

2025-01-07 00:00
abrahack

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 4.24.14
Affected Plugin
Iptanus File Upload
Affected Version
<= 4.24.13
CVSS
7.5High
Weakness type
CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CVE
CVE-2024-9939
View all Iptanus File Upload vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2024-9939 is a high-severity Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in the Iptanus File Upload WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 4.24.13. 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 4.24.14; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed January 2025, reported by abrahack.

Vulnerability Overview

The WordPress File Upload plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Path Traversal in all versions up to, and including, 4.24.13 via wfu_file_downloader.php. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to read files outside of the originally intended directory.

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')

Reaching this weakness in Iptanus File Upload <= 4.24.13 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 Iptanus File Upload the fix is 4.24.14: builds <= 4.24.13 are affected, anything from 4.24.14 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 4.24.14, 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: Iptanus File Upload 4.24.14 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-2024-9939https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/5e51f301-026d-4ed7-82f8-96c1623bf95chttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-9939

Related records

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