CVE-2026-3666

wpForo Forum <= 2.4.16 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) Arbitrary File Deletion via Post Body

2026-04-03 22:11
Webbernaut

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 2.4.17
Affected Plugin
wpForo Forum
Affected Version
<= 2.4.16
CVSS
8.8High
Weakness type
CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CVE
CVE-2026-3666
View all wpForo Forum vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2026-3666 is a high-severity Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in the wpForo Forum WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 2.4.16. It carries a CVSS score of 8.8 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account at Subscriber level or above. The issue is fixed in version 2.4.17; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed April 2026, reported by Webbernaut.

Vulnerability Overview

The wpForo Forum plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion in all versions up to, and including, 2.4.16. This is due to a missing file name/path validation against path traversal sequences. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber level access and above, to delete arbitrary files on the server by embedding a crafted path traversal string in a forum post body and then deleting the post.

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

Reaching this weakness in wpForo Forum <= 2.4.16 takes an account at Subscriber 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 wpForo Forum the fix is 2.4.17: builds <= 2.4.16 are affected, anything from 2.4.17 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 2.4.17, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

An attacker needs Subscriber 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: wpForo Forum 2.4.17 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Firewall
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-3666https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/f215e320-8563-4d25-9963-ed3664b4901dhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-3666

Related records

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