Deserialization of untrusted data in Podlove Podcast Publisher
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- 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 Podlove Podcast Publisher plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion due to insufficient file path validation in the create_link_item function in all versions up to, and including, 4.5.3. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with contributor-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). A viable POP chain exists within the plugin itself via Podlove\ImageCache\GenerationGuard, whose __destruct() method invokes wp_delete_file() with an attacker-controlled file path populated through unserialization.
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-2026-16099
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-q83h-6954-x259
References
Other 8
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/3aa6fd71-337f-4998-a15d-650aa4f6142c?source=cve
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/podlove-podcasting-plugin-for-wordpress/tags/4.5.3/lib/modules/shownotes/rest_api.php#L585
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/podlove-podcasting-plugin-for-wordpress/tags/4.5.3/lib/model/base.php#L552
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/podlove-podcasting-plugin-for-wordpress/tags/4.5.3/lib/image_cache/generation_guard.php#L19
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/podlove-podcasting-plugin-for-wordpress/tags/4.5.3/lib/image_cache/generation_guard.php#L57
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/podlove-podcasting-plugin-for-wordpress/tags/4.5.3/lib/modules/shownotes/rest_api.php#L538
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/podlove-podcasting-plugin-for-wordpress/tags/4.5.3/lib/modules/shownotes/rest_api.php#L630
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?reponame=&old=3648110%40podlove-podcasting-plugin-for-wordpress&new=3648110%40podlove-podcasting-plugin-for-wordpress
More Podlove vulnerabilities
- TI-2024-19682 WordPress Podlove Podcast Publisher plugin <= 4.0.9 - Reflected Cross Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.1
- TI-2026-11062 Podlove Podcast Publisher <= 4.5.1 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary File Upload via podlove_image_cache_url Parameter CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2024-12769 Podlove Podcast Publisher < 4.2.1 - Admin+ Stored XSS CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.8
- TI-2024-12768 Podlove Podcast Publisher < 4.1.24 - Admin+ Stored XSS CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.8
- TI-2021-06948 Podlove Podcast Publisher < 3.5.6 - Unauthenticated SQL Injection CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2016-08980 The podlove-podcasting-plugin-for-wordpress plugin before 2.3.16 for WordPress has SQL… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
Sources
- CVE-2026-16099 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-16099 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-q83h-6954-x259 · 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