CVE-2016-6896: Path Traversal

Published Jan 18, 2017

Updated

Directory traversal vulnerability in the wpajaxupdateplugin function in wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php in WordPress 4.5.3 allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service or read certain text files via a .. (dot dot) in the plugin parameter to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php, as demonstrated by /dev/random read operations that deplete the entropy pool.

Affected Software

1 affected component

WordPress=4.5.3

Event History

Jan 18, 2017

CVE Published

via MITRE·09:00 PM

Data Sourced

via MITRE·09:00 PM

Description

Data Sourced

via NVD·09:59 PM

DescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the severity of CVE-2016-6896?

CVE-2016-6896 has a medium severity level as it allows denial of service or unauthorized file read access.

How do I fix CVE-2016-6896?

To fix CVE-2016-6896, upgrade WordPress to version 4.5.4 or higher.

Who is affected by CVE-2016-6896?

CVE-2016-6896 affects remote authenticated users using WordPress version 4.5.3.

What does CVE-2016-6896 allow an attacker to do?

CVE-2016-6896 allows an attacker to exploit directory traversal vulnerabilities to potentially read sensitive text files.

Is CVE-2016-6896 a bug in WordPress core?

Yes, CVE-2016-6896 is a vulnerability in the WordPress core affecting the wp_ajax_update_plugin function.