Arbitrary file deletion via unchecked cache path
Published Oct 16, 2024 · Updated Apr 8, 2026
Path traversal in WP Fastest Cache 0.9.0.2 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to delete arbitrary server files. The wpfc_delete_current_page_cache AJAX action accepts a user-controlled path containing ../ segments and passes it to recursive deletion without sufficient path validation or a CSRF nonce check. Cache must be enabled, and exploitation requires a logged-in WordPress user to submit the forged request; deleting site files can interrupt the site.
Summary
What happened
Path traversal in WP Fastest Cache 0.9.0.2 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to delete arbitrary server files. The wpfc_delete_current_page_cache AJAX action accepts a user-controlled path containing ../ segments and passes it to recursive deletion without sufficient path validation or a CSRF nonce check. Cache must be enabled, and exploitation requires a logged-in WordPress user to submit the forged request; deleting site files can interrupt the site.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2020-36836
- Published
- Oct 16, 2024
- Updated
- Apr 8, 2026
- Vendor
- Emre Vona
- Product
- WP Fastest Cache
- Classifications
- CWE-352, CWE-22, T1485
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 16, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 8, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=0 <0.9.0.3
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Tradecraft forged AJAX deletion requestproof of concept · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Reported exploitation
- Wordfence attack telemetryreported exploitation
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
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