CVE-2026-16618
Received Received - Intake

Improper File Upload in Improve SEO WordPress Plugin

Vulnerability report for CVE-2026-16618, including description, CVSS score, EPSS score, affected products, exploitability, helpful resources, and attack-flow context.

Publication date: 2026-08-04

Last updated on: 2026-08-04

Assigner: WPScan

Description

The Improve SEO WordPress plugin through 2.0.11 does not properly validate uploaded files, checking only the file content type while writing the file with the attacker-supplied extension into a publicly accessible directory, allowing unauthenticated users to upload executable PHP files and achieve remote code execution.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published
2026-08-04
Last Modified
2026-08-04
Generated
2026-08-04
AI Q&A
2026-08-04
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
EUVD

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
improve_seo wordpress_plugin to 2.0.11 (inc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

Attack-Flow Graph

AI Quick Actions

Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

This vulnerability exists in the Improve SEO WordPress plugin version 2.0.11 or earlier. It fails to properly validate uploaded files, only checking the content type while saving the file with the attacker's chosen extension in a public directory. This allows unauthenticated users to upload PHP files that can execute code remotely.

Detection Guidance

Check for uploaded PHP files in publicly accessible directories like /wp-content/uploads/. Look for files with unexpected extensions or recent uploads from unauthenticated users.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to upload malicious PHP files to your server. These files could then execute arbitrary commands, potentially allowing the attacker to take full control of your WordPress site, steal data, or use your server for further attacks.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to data breaches, which may violate GDPR or HIPAA requirements for data protection and security. Organizations could face fines or penalties if this flaw results in unauthorized access to personal or sensitive health information.

Mitigation Strategies

Update the Improve SEO WordPress plugin to the latest version. Remove any suspicious PHP files from upload directories. Implement strict file upload validation to block executable files.

Chat Assistant

Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-16618. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70

EPSS Chart