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Adsanity - Remote Code Execution (CVE-2022-4949)

CVE-2022-4949

The AdSanity plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file uploads due to missing file type validation in the 'ajax_upload' function in versions up to, and including, 1.8.1. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with Contributor+ level privileges to upload arbitrary files on the affected sites server which makes remote code execution possible.

CVE-2022-4949

HIGH CVSS 8.8 Published 2023-06-07 Updated 2026-06-17
AI Risk High (86/100) Active Exploit: No strong signal Published Exploit: No public exploit references Priority: P2 Urgent
Severity Band HIGH
CVSS Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Affected Components 1
Reference Links 4
AI Risk Engine High (86/100)
Exploitability High
Active Exploitation No strong signal
Published Exploit Status No public exploit references

Threat Timeline

  1. 2023-06-07 CVE published and first recorded in the threat feed.
  2. 2026-06-17 Record updated with latest vulnerability metadata.
  3. 2026-09-18 AI technical context refreshed for mitigation and impact guidance.
  4. Now Monitoring for follow-up changes, linked references, and new related CVEs.

AI Context

Machine-generated threat intelligence

AI Updated 17 hours ago

AI enriched 17 hours ago (2026-09-18 11:12 UTC)

Technical Summary

The AdSanity plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file uploads due to missing file type validation in the 'ajax_upload' function in versions up to, and including, 1.8.1. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with Contributor+ level privileges to upload arbitrary files on the affected sites server which makes remote code execution possible.

Potential Impact

Severity is HIGH (CVSS 8.8). Depending on deployment context, affected components may be exposed to unauthorized actions or data integrity risk.

Exploitability Assessment

Exploitability is assessed as High based on remote code execution potential.

Primary risk drivers: remote code execution potential

Mitigation Recommendations

Validate affected product versions, prioritize patching, and monitor references for vendor remediation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, apply compensating controls and limit exposure of vulnerable surfaces.

Detection & Monitoring

Track authentication anomalies, unexpected file writes, and suspicious plugin API activity around affected components.

Business Impact Lens

AI risk score 86/100 (High, High) with priority P2 Urgent. Prioritize remediation where affected components process customer data, admin sessions, or Internet-exposed workflows.

Affected Products

Adsanity PLUGIN · adsanity Affected: < 1.8.2 Fixed in: 1.8.2

References

What to do about this

Patch promptly The consequence is significant even where an attacker needs a foothold first.

Fix it

Update Adsanity to 1.8.2 or later.

That is the complete fix. Everything below is what protects you in the meantime.

Cannot update today? Request / payload inspection (WAF) in Hack Halt ProSecure blocks this class of attack before WordPress processes the request.

Inspect request parameters and bodies for injection, traversal and file-inclusion payloads, and refuse the request rather than logging it.

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Not sure if you are affected?

Scan your site to see whether it runs Adsanity, and at which version.

Free, no installation, no account. It reads what your site already publishes, then tells you which plugins carry known vulnerabilities and what to do about each one.

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Am I affected by this vulnerability?

You are affected if your site runs Adsanity. Versions below 1.8.2 are vulnerable; that release and later are not.

How do I fix it?

Update Adsanity to version 1.8.2 or later. That is the complete fix. Until you can update, Request / payload inspection (WAF) in Hack Halt ProSecure contains this class of attack at the request layer.

What can an attacker actually do?

This is a Remote Code Execution flaw. An attacker who exploits it can run their own code on the server, which is total control of the site.