CVE-2026-120518: BuddyPress XProfile Custom Image Field arbitrary file deletion vulnerability
critical 9.1 plugin closed published 2026-11-03
- Affected versions
- 3.1.0 and older
- Fixed in
- unknown
- Severity
- Critical · CVSS 9.1
- Active installs
- closed
- Type
- Arbitrary file deletion
What an attacker needs
- Access: None. No account or login is needed.
CVSS vector (score by Wordfence): CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
What to do now
- Replace BuddyPress XProfile Custom Image Field. A closed plugin gets no updates through WordPress, so this hole stays open.
- Deactivate and delete it once you have a replacement (Plugins → Deactivate → Delete). Deactivating alone leaves its files on the server.
- Not sure which version you run? Check your version against every known BuddyPress XProfile Custom Image Field issue.
- If you ran an affected version and something looks off (new admin users, spam pages, redirects), run the free scan below.
The advisory
The BuddyPress XProfile Image Field plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion in all versions up to, and including, 3.1.0. This is due to bpxp_image_field_update_on_user_activation() calling unlink() on a path built from visitor-supplied signup metadata with no realpath() resolution, no containment check against the profile-image directory and no extension allow-list. Submitting a zero-byte file with the 'field_N_hidden' parameter during registration makes the plugin store the raw value, which is then resolved against the document root when the pending signup is activated. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to delete arbitrary files on the server, which can easily lead to remote code execution when the right file (such as wp-config.php) is deleted. Requires open registration and an image-type profile field on the signup form.
References
- NVD CVE-2026-120518 nvd.nist.gov
- Wordfence advisory www.wordfence.com
- nvd.nist.gov nvd.nist.gov
- Plugin source plugins.trac.wordpress.org
Related
Ran an affected version? Check your site for signs of a hack
The free scan reads the public side of your site and looks for spam pages, hidden redirects, injected scripts and blacklist entries. No login, no install, about a minute.
Already hacked? Flat $499 cleanup with a 30-day reinfection guarantee.
Where this data comes from
- CVE record, score and references: NIST National Vulnerability Database (NVD), checked 2026-11-04. This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.
- Versions and install counts: wordpress.org/plugins/buddypress-xprofile-image-field (Plugins API), fetched 2026-11-04.
- The summary, “what an attacker needs” and “what to do” sections are our plain-English reading of the record and the plugin's release history; the quoted description is the record's own text. Spot an error? Email Daniel.