Wp Mobile DetectorWordPress extension · Wp Mobile Detector Project
CVE-2016-15043
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedThe WP Mobile Detector plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file uploads due to missing file type validation in resize.php file in versions up to, and including, 3.5. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to upload arbitrary files on the affected sites server which may make remote code execution possible.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThe WP Mobile Detector WordPress plugin versions 3.5 and below contain an arbitrary file upload vulnerability in the resize.php file. The vulnerability stems from missing file type validation, allowing unauthenticated attackers to upload arbitrary files to the server, which can lead to remote code execution.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
Wp Mobile DetectorWordPress extension
<= 3.5CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Verify WP Mobile Detector plugin is installedCheck for the plugin directory at /wp-content/plugins/wp-mobile-detector/ or list installed WordPress pluginsAffected if The plugin directory exists in the WordPress installation
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Check the installed plugin versionRead the plugin header from wp-content/plugins/wp-mobile-detector/wp-mobile-detector.php or check the Version field in wp-content/plugins/wp-mobile-detector/readme.txtAffected if The version is 3.5 or lower (or the version cannot be determined but the plugin is present)
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Locate the vulnerable resize.php fileCheck if wp-content/plugins/wp-mobile-detector/resize.php exists on the serverAffected if The resize.php file exists in the plugin directory
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Test file upload functionalityAttempt an HTTP POST request to resize.php with a malicious file (such as a PHP script) to verify if arbitrary file upload is possibleAffected if The server accepts and saves files with extensions other than allowed image types, indicating missing file type validation
A user is affected if the WP Mobile Detector plugin version 3.5 or below is installed and the resize.php file exists and is accessible, allowing unauthenticated arbitrary file uploads.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scopedUpgrade the WP Mobile Detector plugin to version 3.6 or later to implement proper file type validation. If immediate upgrade is not possible, disable the plugin or block access to resize.php via web server configuration.
- 1. Remove the WP Mobile Detector plugin completely from the WordPress installation as no patched version is available.
- 2. Delete all plugin files from /wp-content/plugins/wp-mobile-detector/
- 3. Check for any malicious files that may have been uploaded via this vulnerability (look for unfamiliar .php files in uploads directory, especially in cached/resized folders)
- 4. Review user accounts for any unauthorized admin accounts created by attackers
- 5. Consider restoring from a clean backup taken before the compromise if lateral movement is suspected
- 6. Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to block requests to resize.php or jpeg.php endpoints
- 7. If mobile detection is still needed, install an alternative reputable plugin from the official WordPress repository that receives active security support
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Wp Mobile Detector
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,152.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2016-15043 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2016-15043 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data