Unauthenticated file deletion via AJAX path traversal
Published Aug 5, 2026 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Path traversal in Addify Custom Fields for WooCommerce before 1.5.1 allows remote attackers to delete arbitrary server files. The unauthenticated afcf_file_delete AJAX handler accepts a file_name path and deletes the resolved file without confining it to its upload directory. WooCommerce and the plugin must be active; a valid guest nonce appears on front-end pages, and deleting wp-config.php forces reinstallation that enables site takeover.
Summary
What happened
Path traversal in Addify Custom Fields for WooCommerce before 1.5.1 allows remote attackers to delete arbitrary server files. The unauthenticated afcf_file_delete AJAX handler accepts a file_name path and deletes the resolved file without confining it to its upload directory. WooCommerce and the plugin must be active; a valid guest nonce appears on front-end pages, and deleting wp-config.php forces reinstallation that enables site takeover.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-16940
- Published
- Aug 5, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- Addify
- Product
- Custom Fields for WooCommerce
- Classifications
- CWE-22, T1485
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 5, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 5, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=0 <1.5.1
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
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
- WPScan unauthenticated file-deletion proof of conceptfunctional · validated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo