# CVE-2017-16871: Race condition in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute PHP code via a race condition in the UpdraftPlus WordPress plugin's file deletion logic.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 17 Nov 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-2fvg-pqv8-jj7q

## What is CVE-2017-16871?

CVE-2017-16871 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 17 Nov 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The UpdraftPlus plugin through 1.13.12 for WordPress allows remote PHP code execution because the plupload_action function in /wp-content/plugins/updraftplus/admin.php has a race condition before deleting a file associated with the name parameter. NOTE: the vendor reports that this does not cross a privilege boundary

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-16871?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Updraftplus Updraftplus.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-16871?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-16871 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-16871 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-16871 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2017-16870](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-16870/): Server-side request forgery in n/a (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2023-32960](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-32960/): WordPress UpdraftPlus Plugin <= 1.23.3 is vulnerable to Cross Site Request Forgery (CSRF) (high 7.1)
- [CVE-2022-0633](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0633/): UpdraftPlus Free < 1.22.3 & Premium < 2.22.3 - Subscriber+ Backup Download (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2022-0864](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0864/): UpdraftPlus < 1.22.9 - Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (medium 6.1)
- [CVE-2021-25089](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25089/): UpdraftPlus < 1.16.69 - Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (medium 6.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-16871 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-16871 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 17 Nov 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-16871 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2017-16871/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-16871/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-16871
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-16871
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-16871

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-16871/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.