dbcve.org
Ai EngineWordPress extension · Meowapps

CVE-2023-51409

CRITICAL · 9.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-04-12
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 1.9.99 or later.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
High EPSS Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

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 · unedited
Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type vulnerability in Jordy Meow AI Engine: ChatGPT Chatbot.This issue affects AI Engine: ChatGPT Chatbot: from n/a through 1.9.98.

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 confidence

A file upload vulnerability in the AI Engine ChatGPT Chatbot WordPress plugin allows unauthenticated attackers to upload dangerous file types (such as executable PHP scripts) without restriction. The lack of proper file type validation permits attackers to upload and execute malicious files on the server, leading to complete system compromise via remote code execution.

MitigationImplement strict whitelist-based file upload validation that checks both file extension and MIME type before allowing uploads. Store uploaded files outside the web root or disable script execution in the upload directory.

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
Ai EngineWordPress extension
Affected:< 1.9.99

CVSS 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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Confirm AI Engine plugin is installed
    Navigate to WordPress admin dashboard under Plugins, or inspect the wp-content/plugins/ directory for a folder named 'ai-engine' or similar. Check plugin files for version information in the main plugin file header.
    Affected if The AI Engine plugin by Meowapps is found in the WordPress installation.
  2. Determine installed plugin version
    Open the main plugin file (typically ai-engine.php or index.php) in the plugin directory and locate the version number in the plugin header comment. Compare this version against the affected range of < 1.9.99.
    Affected if The installed version is lower than 1.9.99.
  3. Check if file upload feature is enabled
    Access the plugin settings page in the WordPress admin dashboard (usually under Settings > AI Engine or a dedicated AI Engine menu). Look for settings related to file uploads, chatbot upload functionality, or file attachments. Verify whether any file upload capability is turned on.
    Affected if The file upload or attachment feature is enabled in the plugin settings.
  4. Inspect upload directory configuration
    Check the wp-content/uploads/ directory structure and any custom upload paths configured in the plugin. Verify if uploaded files are stored within the web root and if .htaccess or similar controls prevent script execution in upload directories.
    Affected if Uploaded files are stored within the web-accessible directory without script execution restrictions.

A user is affected if the Meowapps AI Engine plugin version is below 1.9.99 AND the file upload feature is enabled in the plugin settings.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 1.9.99 or later
Fixed in 1.9.99
Interim mitigation

Implement strict whitelist-based file upload validation that checks both file extension and MIME type before allowing uploads. Store uploaded files outside the web root or disable script execution in the upload directory.

Recommended fix High confidence

1.9.99 or later

  1. Log in to the WordPress admin dashboard
  2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins
  3. Find the 'AI Engine: ChatGPT Chatbot' (or 'Meow AI Engine') plugin
  4. Click 'Update Now' to update to the latest version, or manually update to version 1.9.99 or higher
  5. Verify the plugin updated successfully by checking the version number
  6. Test that the file upload functionality works correctly after the update

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Ai Engine Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
10.0 hours of engineering $1,750
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,800.

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-51409 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

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.

What belongs here
  • 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