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Unrestricted File UploadWeakness · CWE-434

CVE-2025-12138

HIGH · 8.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-11-21
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
94/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable 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
The URL Image Importer plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file uploads due to insufficient file type validation in all versions up to, and including, 1.0.6. This is due to the plugin relying on a user-controlled Content-Type HTTP header to validate file uploads in the 'uimptr_import_image_from_url()' function which writes the file to the server before performing proper validation. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Author-level access and above, to upload arbitrary files on the affected site's server which may make remote code execution possible via the uploaded PHP file.

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

The URL Image Importer plugin for WordPress uses the user-supplied Content-Type HTTP header to validate uploaded files in the 'uimptr_import_image_from_url()' function, writing files to disk before performing proper validation. This allows authenticated users with Author-level or higher privileges to upload arbitrary files including executable PHP scripts, leading to potential remote code execution.

MitigationUpdate to a patched version if available; otherwise disable the plugin. Review the wp-content/uploads directory for suspicious files and implement Web Application Firewall rules to block file upload endpoints until remediation is complete.

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
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/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. Check if URL Image Importer plugin is installed
    Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins in WordPress admin, or inspect the wp-content/plugins directory for a folder containing 'url-image-importer' or similar. Check plugin files for version comments.
    Affected if The plugin is present and active in the WordPress installation.
  2. Identify the installed plugin version
    Open the main plugin file (usually url-image-importer.php or similar) and locate the version comment header, or check the plugin's readme.txt file for the 'Stable tag' entry.
    Affected if The version cannot be determined as patched, or falls within an unknown vulnerable range.
  3. Verify presence of the vulnerable function
    Inspect the plugin's PHP files for the function named 'uimptr_import_image_from_url'. Search the plugin source code for this exact function name.
    Affected if The function uimptr_import_image_from_url() exists in the plugin code.
  4. Check for unauthorized uploaded files in the uploads directory
    Inspect wp-content/uploads and its subdirectories for files with executable extensions (.php, .phtml, .php5, .php7, .phar) that were not intentionally uploaded through legitimate media workflows. Use file system commands or FTP to list and examine file types and modification dates.
    Affected if Unexpected PHP or other executable script files exist in upload directories.
  5. Review user accounts with Author-level or higher privileges
    Navigate to Users > All Users in WordPress admin and identify accounts with the role of Author, Editor, or Administrator. These roles possess the capabilities required to trigger the vulnerable upload function.
    Affected if One or more active user accounts hold Author, Editor, or Administrator roles.

The environment is affected if the URL Image Importer plugin is installed, contains the vulnerable uimptr_import_image_from_url() function, and has users with Author-level or higher access, or if suspicious executable files exist in the uploads directory.

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
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Update to a patched version if available; otherwise disable the plugin. Review the wp-content/uploads directory for suspicious files and implement Web Application Firewall rules to block file upload endpoints until remediation is complete.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Latest version available in WordPress plugin repository (version 1.0.7 or higher)

  1. Log in to WordPress admin dashboard
  2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins
  3. Locate the 'URL Image Importer' plugin
  4. Check if an update is available and install the latest version
  5. Alternatively, navigate to Plugins > Add New > Upload and upload the latest version from plugins.trac.wordpress.org or wordpress.org

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

Have this fixed Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
11.0 hours of engineering $1,930
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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-2025-12138 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