# CVE-2018-12895: Path traversal in n/a

> Authenticated Authors can delete wp-config.php via path traversal to trigger reinstallation and gain administrative privileges.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 26 Jun 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2018-12895, DSA-4250-1, GHSA-v8xj-g4jr-hwhf, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-12895

## What is CVE-2018-12895?

CVE-2018-12895 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 26 Jun 2018. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

WordPress through 4.9.6 allows Author users to execute arbitrary code by leveraging directory traversal in the wp-admin/post.php thumb parameter, which is passed to the PHP unlink function and can delete the wp-config.php file. This is related to missing filename validation in the wp-includes/post.php wp_delete_attachment function. The attacker must have capabilities for files and posts that are normally available only to the Author, Editor, and Administrator roles. The attack methodology is to delete wp-config.php and then launch a new installation process to increase the attacker's privileges.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-12895?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Wordpress Wordpress.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-12895?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2018-12895 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2018-12895 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Wordpress Arbitrary File Deletion (metasploit)
- Hotfix for file deletion to to code execution vulnerability in WordPress (github_poc): https://github.com/bloom-ux/cve-2018-12895-hotfix

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-12895 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-12895 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 26 Jun 2018. 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-2018-12895 exists.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. 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-2018-12895/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-12895/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-12895
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-12895
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-12895

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-12895/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.