CVE-2024-5577
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 Where I Was, Where I Will Be plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Remote File Inclusion in version <= 1.1.1 via the WIW_HEADER parameter of the /system/include/include_user.php file. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to include and execute arbitrary files hosted on external servers, allowing the execution of any PHP code in those files. This can be used to bypass access controls, obtain sensitive data, or achieve code execution. This requires allow_url_include to be set to true in order to exploit, which is not commonly enabled.
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 confidenceRemote File Inclusion (RFI) vulnerability in the Where I Was, Where I Will Be WordPress plugin (versions <= 1.1.1) allows unauthenticated attackers to include arbitrary remote files via the WIW_HEADER parameter in /system/include/include_user.php, leading to arbitrary PHP code execution. Exploitation requires allow_url_include=1 in PHP configuration, which is uncommon.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check if the plugin is installedNavigate to WordPress admin > Plugins and look for 'Where I Was, Where I Will Be' in the list of installed pluginsAffected if the plugin appears in the installed plugins list
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Verify the plugin versionClick on the plugin in the WordPress plugins list to view its details, or check the plugin's main PHP file header for the Version fieldAffected if the version number is 1.1.1 or lower
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Check for the vulnerable fileLook for the file /system/include/include_user.php in the plugin directory (typically wp-content/plugins/where-i-was-where-i-will-be/)Affected if the file exists at that path
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Check PHP allow_url_include settingCreate a PHP file with <?php echo ini_get('allow_url_include'); ?> and access it via a web browser, or check php.ini directly for the allow_url_include directiveAffected if allow_url_include is set to 1 or On
A user is affected if they have the Where I Was, Where I Will Be plugin installed at version 1.1.1 or lower AND the vulnerable file exists AND PHP's allow_url_include is enabled.
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.
From vendor dataUpdate the plugin to the latest version immediately and ensure allow_url_include is disabled in php.ini (set to 0) as a defense-in-depth measure.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $1,984.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2024-5577 — 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-2024-5577 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