Everest Forms <= 3.4.4 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary File Read and Deletion via Upload Field 'old_files' Parameter
Summary
| CVE | CVE-2026-5478 |
|---|---|
| State | PUBLISHED |
| Assigner | Wordfence |
| Source Priority | CVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback |
| Published | 2026-04-20 20:16:48 UTC |
| Updated | 2026-04-20 20:16:48 UTC |
| Description | The Everest Forms plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Arbitrary File Read and Deletion in all versions up to, and including, 3.4.4. This is due to the plugin trusting attacker-controlled old_files data from public form submissions as legitimate server-side upload state, and converting attacker-supplied URLs into local filesystem paths using regex-based string replacement without canonicalization or directory boundary enforcement. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary local files (e.g., wp-config.php) by injecting path-traversal payloads into the old_files upload field parameter, which are then attached to notification emails. The same path resolution is also used in the post-email cleanup routine, which calls unlink() on the resolved path, resulting in the targeted file being deleted after being attached. This can lead to full site compromise through disclosure of database credentials and authentication salts from wp-config.php, and denial of service through deletion of critical files. Prerequisite: The form must contain a file-upload or image-upload field, and disable storing entry information. |
Risk And Classification
Primary CVSS: v3.1 8.1 HIGH from [email protected]
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Problem Types: CWE-22 | CWE-22 CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
| Version | Source | Type | Score | Severity | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | [email protected] | Primary | 8.1 | HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| 3.1 | CNA | DECLARED | 8.1 | HIGH | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
CVSS v3.1 Breakdown
Attack Vector
NetworkAttack Complexity
HighPrivileges Required
NoneUser Interaction
NoneScope
UnchangedConfidentiality
HighIntegrity
HighAvailability
HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vendor Declared Affected Products
| Source | Vendor | Product | Version | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | Wpeverest | Everest Forms Contact Form Payment Form Quiz Survey Custom Form Builder | affected 3.4.4 semver | Not specified |
References
| Reference | Source | Link | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/everest-forms/tags/3.4.4/includes/abstracts/class-evf... | [email protected] | plugins.trac.wordpress.org | |
| plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/everest-forms/tags/3.4.4/includes/abstracts/class-evf... | [email protected] | plugins.trac.wordpress.org | |
| www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/8641eb53-6a9a-4549-b8ef-e37ac... | [email protected] | www.wordfence.com | |
| plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3507814/everest-forms | [email protected] | plugins.trac.wordpress.org | |
| plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/everest-forms/tags/3.4.4/includes/abstracts/class-evf... | [email protected] | plugins.trac.wordpress.org | |
| CVE Program record | CVE.ORG | www.cve.org | canonical |
| NVD vulnerability detail | NVD | nvd.nist.gov | canonical, analysis |
Vendor Comments And Credit
Discovery Credit
CNA: ll (en)
Additional Advisory Data
| Source | Time | Event |
|---|---|---|
| CNA | 2026-04-03T08:28:02.000Z | Vendor Notified |
| CNA | 2026-04-20T07:13:38.000Z | Disclosed |
There are currently no legacy QID mappings associated with this CVE.