# CVE-2025-12974: Gravity Forms <= 2.9.21.1 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary File Upload via Legacy Chunked Upload

> Unauthenticated attackers can upload executable .phar files to achieve remote code execution if the server processes them as PHP.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/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:** 18 Nov 2025
- **Updated:** 8 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9jpw-f7gq-pv94

## What is CVE-2025-12974?

CVE-2025-12974 is a high-severity vulnerability in Gravity Forms, published on 18 Nov 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Gravity Forms plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file uploads due to missing file type validation in the legacy chunked upload mechanism in all versions up to, and including, 2.9.21.1. This is due to the extension blacklist not including .phar files, which can be uploaded through the chunked upload mechanism. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to upload executable .phar files and achieve remote code execution on the server, granted they can discover or enumerate the upload path. In order for an attacker to achieve RCE, the web server needs to be set up to process .phar file as PHP via file handler mapping or similar.

Weakness: CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-12974?


## How do I fix CVE-2025-12974?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-12974 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-12974 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-12974 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-12974 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-12974 is a high-severity vulnerability in Gravity Forms, published on 18 Nov 2025. 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-2025-12974 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Gravity Forms. 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-2025-12974/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-12974/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-12974
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-12974
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-12974

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-12974/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.