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Wp File Download - Path Traversal (CVE-2026-14975)

CVE-2026-14975

Vulnerability CVE-2026-14975 PLUGIN wp-file-download MEDIUM

The WP File Download plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Directory Traversal in all versions up to, and including, 6.3.8 via the 'remoteurl' parameter. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level access and above, to read the contents of arbitrary files on the server, which can contain sensitive information. An authenticated attacker with Subscriber-level access first poisons the _wpfd_file_metadata['file'] post-meta value via the unprotected file.save handler, after which the streaming endpoint — hooked on init with no authentication requirement — resolves and streams the traversed file path to any caller, including unauthenticated visitors.

CVE-2026-14975

MEDIUM CVSS 6.5 Published 2026-09-05 Updated 2026-09-08
AI Risk Elevated (70/100) Active Exploit: No strong signal Published Exploit: No public exploit references Priority: P3 Priority
Severity Band MEDIUM
CVSS Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Affected Components 1
Reference Links 3
AI Risk Engine Elevated (70/100)
Exploitability High
Active Exploitation No strong signal
Published Exploit Status No public exploit references

Threat Timeline

  1. 2026-09-05 CVE published and first recorded in the threat feed.
  2. 2026-09-08 Record updated with latest vulnerability metadata.
  3. 2026-09-06 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 34 days ago

AI enriched 34 days ago (2026-09-06 09:07 UTC)

Technical Summary

The WP File Download plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Directory Traversal in all versions up to, and including, 6.3.8 via the 'remoteurl' parameter. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level access and above, to read the contents of arbitrary files on the server, which can contain sensitive information. An authenticated attacker with Subscriber-level access first poisons the _wpfd_file_metadata['file'] post-meta value via the unprotected file.save handler, after which the streaming endpoint — hooked on init with no authentication…

Potential Impact

Severity is MEDIUM (CVSS 6.5). 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, low-bar exploit prerequisites.

Primary risk drivers: remote code execution potential, low-bar exploit prerequisites

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 70/100 (Elevated, High) with priority P3 Priority. Prioritize remediation where affected components process customer data, admin sessions, or Internet-exposed workflows.

Affected Products

Wp File Download PLUGIN · wp-file-download Affected: >= 0, <= 6.3.8 Fixed version not specified

References

What to do about this

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

Fix it

Update Wp File Download to the latest available version.

Where the vendor has not published a fix yet, disable the plugin until they do.

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 Wp File Download, 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 Wp File Download. No account is needed to exploit this, so a public site is reachable by anyone.

How do I fix it?

Update Wp File Download to the latest available version. Where the vendor has not yet published a fix, remove or disable the plugin until they do. 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 Path Traversal flaw. An attacker who exploits it can read files outside the intended directory, including wp-config.php.

WordPress security that blocks attacks before they land.

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