Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A vulnerable WordPress plugin could let anyone upload files to a site without logging in. If a dangerous file is accepted and executed by the server, attackers may take over the website and access or alter data.
Executive priority
Treat this as urgent for any public WordPress site using the plugin. The business risk is full website compromise, but exposure depends on whether the vulnerable plugin version is installed.
Technical view
User Submitted Posts versions up to and including 20190312 lack file type validation in usp_check_images, enabling unauthenticated arbitrary file upload. The CVSS 3.1 score is 9.8 and CWE is CWE-434. Remote code execution is possible depending on server handling of uploaded files.
Likely exposure
Internet-facing WordPress sites running User Submitted Posts up to and including version 20190312, especially sites allowing front-end submissions or uploads from unauthenticated users.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or cited active exploitation. Risk remains high because exploitation requires no authentication or user interaction and could lead to server-side code execution.
Researcher notes
Affected metadata in the bundle is sparse, but the description and references identify versions through 20190312. Do not assume exploitation in the wild from these sources alone. Validate configuration and file execution behavior before assessing impact.
Mitigation direction
- Disable or remove the plugin where vulnerable versions are present.
- Upgrade to a vendor-supported fixed or current version after checking official guidance.
- Temporarily restrict unauthenticated front-end uploads until remediation is complete.
- Inspect uploaded files and remove unauthorized or executable content.
- Apply WAF and file-upload restrictions as compensating controls.
Validation and detection
- Inventory WordPress sites for the User Submitted Posts plugin and exact version.
- Confirm whether installed versions are up to and including 20190312.
- Review upload directories for unexpected scripts or executable files.
- Check web server and WordPress logs for suspicious upload activity.
- Verify vendor changelog or advisory for the remediated version.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-434: File access and web shell behavior lookup
File traversal and upload weaknesses can lead teams to review file, web shell, execution, and collection telemetry. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupExecution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupFile access behavior lookup
The CVE wording references file access or upload behavior, so file telemetry and web shell review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2019-25138 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Critical
- CVSS
- 9.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H3.95.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
9.8CriticalVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/5a97877b-fb4d-4e87-bcff-56be65fee6ce?source=cveCVE reference
- https://blog.nintechnet.com/arbitrary-file-upload-vulnerability-in-wordpress-user-submitted-posts-plugin/CVE reference
- https://wordpress.org/plugins/user-submitted-posts/#developersCVE reference
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type
Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.