dbcve.org
Unrestricted File UploadWeakness · CWE-434

CVE-2025-14938

MEDIUM · 5.3 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-04-04
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
62/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
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
The Listeo Core plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthenticated arbitrary media upload in all versions up to, and including, 2.0.27 via the "listeo_core_handle_dropped_media" function. This is due to missing authorization and capability checks on the AJAX endpoint handling file uploads. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to upload arbitrary media to the site's media library, without achieving direct code execution.

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 · moderate confidence

The Listeo Core WordPress plugin has an unauthenticated arbitrary media upload vulnerability in versions up to 2.0.27. The AJAX endpoint 'listeo_core_handle_dropped_media' lacks authorization and capability checks, allowing any visitor to upload files directly to the WordPress media library. While direct code execution is not achieved, this enables attackers to store malicious files on the server.

MitigationImplement proper authorization checks and capability verification on the AJAX upload endpoint, and consider adding file type validation and nonce verification to ensure only authenticated users with appropriate permissions can upload media.

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
None
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

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 Listeo Core plugin installation and version
    Check the WordPress plugins directory orwp-admin/plugins.php for the Listeo Core plugin and note the installed version number. Alternatively, inspect the main plugin file (usually listoero-core.php) and read the 'Version' header comment.
    Affected if The installed version of Listeo Core has the vulnerable 'listeo_core_handle_dropped_media' function and no patches have been applied.
  2. Locate the vulnerable AJAX endpoint handler
    Search the Listeo Core plugin files for the function 'listeo_core_handle_dropped_media'. Check PHP files in the plugin directory, typically in an ajax-handler.php or similar file, for the function definition.
    Affected if The function exists in the plugin and is registered as a WordPress AJAX action without a capability check.
  3. Verify AJAX hook registration lacks authentication
    Find where the AJAX action is registered (look for 'add_action("wp_ajax_listeo_core_handle_dropped_media"' or similar) and check if it uses 'nopriv' to allow unauthenticated access. The vulnerable code would have 'add_action("wp_ajax_nopriv_listeo_core_handle_dropped_media"' or be missing a capability check.
    Affected if The AJAX endpoint is hooked with 'nopriv' or has no current_user_can() validation before processing uploads.
  4. Test endpoint accessibility (if safe to do so)
    Review the AJAX handler code to confirm it does not call is_user_logged_in(), wp_verify_nonce(), or current_user_can() before processing file uploads. No authentication or nonce verification in the upload handling function means the flaw is present.
    Affected if The upload handler contains no authentication, authorization, or nonce verification logic.
  5. Inspect WordPress media library for unauthorized uploads
    Check wp-admin/upload.php for any unexpected or suspicious media files uploaded by unknown users or anonymous sources. Review the 'Uploaded by' field for any entries from unauthenticated or unexpected user IDs.
    Affected if Media files appear in the library that were not intentionally uploaded by legitimate authenticated administrators.

Your environment is affected if the Listeo Core plugin is installed with a version containing the unauthenticated 'listeo_core_handle_dropped_media' AJAX endpoint that accepts file uploads without verifying user identity or permissions.

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

Implement proper authorization checks and capability verification on the AJAX upload endpoint, and consider adding file type validation and nonce verification to ensure only authenticated users with appropriate permissions can upload media.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Latest version available beyond 2.0.27 (vendor should be contacted at docs.purethemes.net for exact fixed release number)

  1. 1. Navigate to the WordPress admin dashboard and go to Plugins > Installed Plugins
  2. 2. Locate the Listeo Core plugin in the list
  3. 3. Check the current version number of the plugin (if visible)
  4. 4. If an update is available, click 'Update Now' to update to the latest version
  5. 5. Alternatively, download the latest version from WordPress.org or the vendor's site and upload it manually via Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin
  6. 6. After updating, verify the version number reflects the latest available release
  7. 7. Monitor the site for any unexpected media uploads in the media library as a precautionary measure
Caveat Review plugin changelog for any breaking changes before updating in production environments

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

Have this fixed Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation3.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
8.0 hours of engineering $1,420
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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-2025-14938 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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