# CVE-2009-3890: File upload in n/a

> Authenticated users can execute arbitrary code by uploading files with multiple extensions if Apache mod_mime is configured incorrectly.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.0 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 17 Nov 2009
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2009-3890, GHSA-fg69-73j6-crqr

## What is CVE-2009-3890?

CVE-2009-3890 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Wordpress Wordpress, published on 17 Nov 2009. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Unrestricted file upload vulnerability in the wp_check_filetype function in wp-includes/functions.php in WordPress before 2.8.6, when a certain configuration of the mod_mime module in the Apache HTTP Server is enabled, allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code by posting an attachment with a multiple-extension filename, and then accessing this attachment via a direct request to a wp-content/uploads/ pathname, as demonstrated by a .php.jpg filename.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2009-3890?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Wordpress Wordpress.

## How do I fix CVE-2009-3890?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2009-3890 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2009-3890 exists.

Public exploit code:

- WordPress Core < 2.8.5 - Unrestricted Arbitrary File Upload / Arbitrary PHP Code Execution (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Wordpress Wordpress

- [CVE-2026-63030](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-63030/): WordPress Core Interpretation Conflict (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-87902](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-87902/): WordPress Core Remote File Inclusion (high 8.1, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-60137](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-60137/): WordPress Core SQL Injection (medium 5.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2012-2399](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2399/): Cross-site scripting in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2012-2400](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2400/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2009-3890 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2009-3890 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Wordpress Wordpress, published on 17 Nov 2009. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2009-3890 exists.

Affected product: Wordpress Wordpress. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-3890/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-3890/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-3890
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-3890
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2009-3890

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-3890/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.