WordPress Core <= 5.8 is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution (RCE)
Risks
CVSS 7.2
Remote Code Execution (RCE)
This could allow a malicious actor to execute commands on the target website. This can be used to gain backdoor access to then take full control of the website.
This is a general description of this vulnerability type, specific impact varies case by case. CVSS score is a way to evaluate and rank reported vulnerabilities in a standardized and repeatable way, but it is not ideal for CMSs.
Solutions
This security issue has a low severity impact and is unlikely to be exploited.
Update to version 5.8.1 or later.
Update to version 5.8.1 or later to remove the vulnerability.
Timeline
Early warning sent out to Patchstack customers
09 Sep 2021
Published by Patchstack
11 Sep 2021Patchstack is one of the largest open-source vulnerability disclosers in the world. For example, in 2023 more than 70% of new WordPress vulnerabilities were originally published by Patchstack. This focus on research enables us to deploy vulnerability protection rules faster than anybody else.
Patchstack vPatching auto-mitigates security vulnerabilities even when there's no official patch available. It's the fastest and most effective way to eliminate new security vulnerabilities without sacrificing performance.
Hackers automate attacks against new security vulnerabilities to take over as many websites as they can before users have time to patch and update. The attacks are opportunistic and victims are not chosen - everyone is a target.
We recommend reaching out to your hosting provider for server-side malware scanning or use a professional incident response service. Don't rely on plugin based malware scanners as they are commonly tampered with by malware.
