Predictable staging paths let attackers run code in WordPress Core
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
WordPress Core versions 4.7 through 7.1.3 are affected. Full-package core upgrades use predictable, web-accessible staging paths (CWE-367), which lets an unauthenticated remote attacker execute code on the server during the upgrade window. CISA added the flaw to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-11-03.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-03
Description from the CNA
WordPress Core is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution in versions 4.7 through 7.1.3. This is due to predictable, web-accessible staging paths used during full-package core upgrades. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to execute code on the server during the upgrade window.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Active
- 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
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress | WordPress | 4.7.0 – 4.7.38; 4.8.0 – 4.8.33; 4.9.0 – 4.9.34; 5.0.0 – 5.0.30; 5.1.0 – 5.1.27; 5.2.0 – 5.2.29; 5.3.0 – 5.3.26; 5.4.0 – 5.4.24; 5.5.0 – 5.5.23; 5.6.0 – 5.6.22; 5.7.0 – 5.7.20; 5.8.0 – 5.8.18; 5.9.0 – 5.9.19; 6.0.0 – 6.0.17; 6.1.0 – 6.1.15; 6.2.0 – 6.2.14; 6.3.0 – 6.3.13; 6.4.0 – 6.4.13; 6.5.0 – 6.5.13; 6.6.0 – 6.6.10; 6.7.0 – 6.7.10; 6.8.0 – 6.8.11; 6.9.0 – 6.9.10; 7.0.0 – 7.0.7; 7.1.0 – 7.1.3 | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- WordPress VendorWordPress Affected 4.7.0 – 4.7.38; 4.8.0 – 4.8.33; 4.9.0 – 4.9.34; 5.0.0 – 5.0.30; 5.1.0 – 5.1.27; 5.2.0 – 5.2.29; 5.3.0 – 5.3.26; 5.4.0 – 5.4.24; 5.5.0 – 5.5.23; 5.6.0 – 5.6.22; 5.7.0 – 5.7.20; 5.8.0 – 5.8.18; 5.9.0 – 5.9.19; 6.0.0 – 6.0.17; 6.1.0 – 6.1.15; 6.2.0 – 6.2.14; 6.3.0 – 6.3.13; 6.4.0 – 6.4.13; 6.5.0 – 6.5.13; 6.6.0 – 6.6.10; 6.7.0 – 6.7.10; 6.8.0 – 6.8.11; 6.9.0 – 6.9.10; 7.0.0 – 7.0.7; 7.1.0 – 7.1.3 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.7 to before 4.7.39; 4.8 to before 4.8.34; 4.9 to before 4.9.35; 5.0 to before 5.0.31; 5.1 to before 5.1.28; 5.2 to before 5.2.30; 5.3 to before 5.3.27; 5.4 to before 5.4.25; 5.5 to before 5.5.24; 5.6 to before 5.6.23; 5.7 to before 5.7.21; 5.8 to before 5.8.19; 5.9 to before 5.9.20; 6.0 to before 6.0.18; 6.1 to before 6.1.16; 6.2 to before 6.2.15; 6.3 to before 6.3.14; 6.4 to before 6.4.14; 6.5 to before 6.5.14; 6.6 to before 6.6.11; 6.7 to before 6.7.11; 6.8 to before 6.8.12; 6.9 to before 6.9.11; 7.0 to before 7.0.8; 7.1 to before 7.1.4 | Vulnerable | WordPress |
- cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.7 to before 4.7.39; 4.8 to before 4.8.34; 4.9 to before 4.9.35; 5.0 to before 5.0.31; 5.1 to before 5.1.28; 5.2 to before 5.2.30; 5.3 to before 5.3.27; 5.4 to before 5.4.25; 5.5 to before 5.5.24; 5.6 to before 5.6.23; 5.7 to before 5.7.21; 5.8 to before 5.8.19; 5.9 to before 5.9.20; 6.0 to before 6.0.18; 6.1 to before 6.1.16; 6.2 to before 6.2.15; 6.3 to before 6.3.14; 6.4 to before 6.4.14; 6.5 to before 6.5.14; 6.6 to before 6.6.11; 6.7 to before 6.7.11; 6.8 to before 6.8.12; 6.9 to before 6.9.11; 7.0 to before 7.0.8; 7.1 to before 7.1.4 Vulnerable ·WordPress
Remediation
The sources list no fixed version for WordPress. CISA set a KEV due date of 2026-11-06.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-03
Vendor assessments
Timeline
- 2026-10-31 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-119977
- 2026-10-31 Alias added: GHSA-p6jj-qrp3-7m4g
- 2026-11-01 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
- 2026-11-02 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-11-02 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-11-03 Added to CISA KEV
- 2026-11-03 Priority changed: LOW → CRITICAL
- 2026-11-03 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-11-04 EPSS moved to the 50th–90th percentile
- 2026-11-04 CISA SSVC decision points changed
References
Patch 2
Advisory 2
Other 5
- https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tags/7.1.3/src/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-upgrader.php#L378
- https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tags/7.1.3/src/wp-admin/includes/class-core-upgrader.php#L162
- https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tags/7.1.3/src/wp-admin/includes/update-core.php#L1549
- https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tags/7.1.3/src/wp-admin/setup-config.php#L282
- https://wordpress.org/news/2026/10/wordpress-7-1-4/
More Wordpress vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-45010 WordPress < 7.0.2 - REST API batch-route confusion and SQL injection issue leading to Remote Code Execution KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2016-08118 The mailSend function in the isMail transport in PHPMailer before 5.2.18 might allow… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-59973 An unauthenticated attacker can make `get_page_template()` page-template resolution… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
- TI-2016-08129 The isMail transport in PHPMailer before 5.2.20 might allow remote attackers to pass… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-42844 WordPress < 7.0.2 - Facilitated SQL Injection via author__not_in in WP_Query KEVCVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.9
- TI-2022-06039 SQL injection in WordPress CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.0
Sources
- CVE-2026-119977 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-119977 · NVD
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-p6jj-qrp3-7m4g · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-119977 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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