Deserialization of untrusted data in qlstudio Export User Data
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- Required
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-502.
Summary
The Export User Data plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion due to insufficient file path validation in the unserialize function in all versions up to, and including, 2.2.6. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level access and above, to delete arbitrary files on the server, which can easily lead to remote code execution when the right file is deleted (such as wp-config.php). Successful exploitation requires an administrator to trigger a user data export while a subscriber-level (or higher) user has stored a crafted serialized XLSXWriter object payload as their display name.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-12240
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-ww5c-p3qw-8xxf
- 2026-11-04 EPSS moved to the 50th–90th percentile
References
Sources
- CVE-2026-12240 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-12240 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-ww5c-p3qw-8xxf · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences