Path traversal in W3 Total Cache
Priority MEDIUM 53CWE-22Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
The W3 Total Cache WordPress plugin before 2.10.5 does not properly validate the request path it uses to build cache file names, allowing unauthenticated attackers to write a file into any existing directory on the server, inside or outside the web root, overwriting whatever occupies the target name. On Apache, the same flaw overwrites the site's .htaccess files, which breaks the site and can strip hardening rules that other security measures rely on.
Why it matters now
Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.02007 80th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by the CNA
Fix Fixed W3 Total Cache (Unknown): 2.10.5
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown | W3 Total Cache | before 2.10.5 | 2.10.5 | Patch available | CNA |
- W3 Total Cache VendorUnknown Affected before 2.10.5 Fixed in 2.10.5 Patch available CNA
Remediation
- Fix · CNA W3 Total Cache (Unknown) Fixed in 2.10.5
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-18051
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-3qrw-968g-4hqv
- 2026-10-28 EPSS moved to the 50th–90th percentile
References
Sources
- CVE-2026-18051 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-18051 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-3qrw-968g-4hqv · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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