Overview
The WP Import Export Lite plugin for WordPress, popular among website developers, is susceptible to an arbitrary file upload vulnerability. This vulnerability allows authenticated attackers to upload arbitrary files on the server hosting the affected site, potentially leading to remote code execution. This vulnerability is of high importance due to the potential for system compromise and data leakage.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-5061
Severity: High (7.5 CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: Low (Subscriber-level access and above)
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise and data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
WP Import Export Lite Plugin for WordPress | Up to and including 3.9.29
How the Exploit Works
This vulnerability stems from the ‘wpie_parse_upload_data’ function in the WP Import Export Lite plugin. The function lacks proper file type validation, allowing authenticated attackers to upload arbitrary files to the server hosting the affected WordPress site. Once a malicious file is uploaded, remote code execution may be possible.
Conceptual Example Code
Below is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited:
POST /wpie_parse_upload_data HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Content-Type: multipart/form-data; boundary=----WebKitFormBoundary7MA4YWxkTrZu0gW
------WebKitFormBoundary7MA4YWxkTrZu0gW
Content-Disposition: form-data; name="file"; filename="malicious.php"
Content-Type: application/php
<php malicious content>
------WebKitFormBoundary7MA4YWxkTrZu0gW--In this sample, an attacker sends a POST request to the vulnerable endpoint, uploading a malicious PHP file. The server, failing to validate the file type, allows the upload, potentially resulting in remote code execution.
Mitigation
To mitigate this vulnerability, apply the vendor patch released in version 3.9.29. As a temporary solution, consider using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) to detect and prevent malicious file uploads.
