Woocommerce Upload FilesWordPress extension · Vanquish
CVE-2021-24171
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 WooCommerce Upload Files WordPress plugin before 59.4 ran a single sanitization pass to remove blocked extensions such as .php. It was possible to bypass this and upload a file with a PHP extension by embedding a "blocked" extension within another "blocked" extension in the "wcuf_file_name" parameter. It was also possible to perform a double extension attack and upload files to a different location via path traversal using the "wcuf_current_upload_session_id" parameter.
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 WooCommerce Upload Files plugin before v59.4 had flawed sanitization that could be bypassed by embedding blocked extensions like .php within other blocked extensions in the wcuf_file_name parameter. Additionally, path traversal via the wcuf_current_upload_session_id parameter allowed attackers to upload files to arbitrary locations and perform double extension attacks.
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
Woocommerce Upload FilesWordPress extension
< 59.4CVSS 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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Identify WooCommerce Upload Files plugin versionAccess the WordPress admin dashboard, navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins, locate 'WooCommerce Upload Files' (or 'Vanquish WooCommerce Upload Files'), and note the version number displayed. Alternatively, inspect the plugin header in /wp-content/plugins/woocommerce-upload-files/woocommerce-upload-files.php or check the readme.txt file for the Version field.Affected if The installed version is below 59.4 (for example, 59.3, 59.2, or any version number lower than 59.4).
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Verify the upload functionality is accessibleCheck if the WooCommerce Upload Files shortcode or widget is in use on any published pages or posts. Inspect the site frontend for any product pages featuring file upload fields provided by this plugin. Also check the WordPress database wp_posts table for any entries containing 'wcuf_upload' or the shortcode 'wcuf_upload' in post_content.Affected if The plugin is active and the upload feature is exposed on the site, meaning the wcuf_file_name and wcuf_current_upload_session_id parameters are reachable via HTTP POST requests to the upload endpoint.
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Inspect uploads directory for suspicious filesExamine the WordPress uploads directory (typically /wp-content/uploads/) and any wcuf-specific subdirectories for files with double extensions such as .php.jpg, .php.png, .php.txt, or files containing .php within the name. Use a file search command: find /wp-content/uploads -type f -name '*.php.*' -o -name '*.*.php'Affected if Any .php files or files with double extensions (e.g., image.php.jpg) are found in the uploads directory, indicating potential successful exploitation.
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Review access logs for vulnerable parameter usageSearch web server access logs (Apache, Nginx, or reverse proxy) for POST requests to the plugin's upload handler containing 'wcuf_file_name' or 'wcuf_current_upload_session_id' parameters. Look for patterns where blocked extensions may have been bypassed or path traversal sequences like '../' in the session ID parameter.Affected if Log entries show requests with unusual values in wcuf_file_name (embedding extensions) or wcuf_current_upload_session_id containing path traversal sequences (../) indicating exploit attempts or successful uploads to unexpected locations.
The environment is affected if the WooCommerce Upload Files plugin version is below 59.4 and the upload feature is actively accessible on the site, exposing the vulnerable wcuf_file_name and wcuf_current_upload_session_id parameters.
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 · scoped59.4
Update the WooCommerce Upload Files plugin to version 59.4 or later. If immediate update is not possible, disable the plugin to prevent remote code execution via arbitrary file upload.
WooCommerce Upload Files version 59.4 or later
- Update the WooCommerce Upload Files WordPress plugin to version 59.4 or later
- After updating, verify that the plugin's file upload functionality works correctly
- Review the wp-content/uploads/wcuf_uploads directory for any suspicious files with .php extensions or unusual filenames
- If compromise is suspected, scan for backdoors and remove any maliciously uploaded files
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Woocommerce Upload Files
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation1.0 h
- Testing4.0 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 $2,464.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-24171 — 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-2021-24171 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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- 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