Unrestricted File UploadWeakness · CWE-434

CVE-2025-23968

CRITICAL · 9.1 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-07-03
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
97/100
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
Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type vulnerability in WebFactory AiBud WP aibuddy-openai-chatgpt allows Upload a Web Shell to a Web Server.This issue affects AiBud WP: from n/a through <= 1.9.

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 AiBud WP plugin contains an unrestricted file upload vulnerability that fails to properly validate uploaded file types, allowing unauthenticated attackers to upload executable files (such as PHP scripts) to the web server. These uploaded files can then be accessed and executed to achieve remote code execution.

MitigationImmediately disable or remove the affected plugin until a patched version is available. Implement proper server-side file type validation using a whitelist approach, store uploads outside the web root, and disable script execution in upload directories.

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
High
User interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/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. Identify if AiBud WP plugin is installed
    Check the WordPress plugins directory for the AiBud WP plugin folder, typically found at /wp-content/plugins/aibud-wp/ or similar naming convention
    Affected if The plugin folder exists in the WordPress installation
  2. Determine the installed plugin version
    Read the main plugin file header in /wp-content/plugins/aibud-wp/ to find the Version field, or check in WordPress admin under Plugins > Installed Plugins
    Affected if The installed version does not have the vulnerability fixed (no patched version documented for this CVE)
  3. Inspect upload directories for suspicious files
    Examine the WordPress upload directory (typically /wp-content/uploads/) for unexpected PHP files, shell scripts, or other executable file types that should not be present
    Affected if Any PHP files or executables are found in upload directories, especially if they were not intentionally uploaded by administrators
  4. Review access logs for unauthorized upload attempts
    Check web server access logs for POST requests to the plugin's upload endpoint, particularly from unauthenticated IP addresses or containing unusual file extensions
    Affected if Evidence shows unauthorized file uploads to the plugin's upload functionality from unauthenticated sources
  5. Check upload directory script execution settings
    Verify that the uploads directory has script execution disabled in the web server configuration (check .htaccess for Apache or nginx config)
    Affected if Script execution is enabled in upload directories, allowing uploaded PHP files to be executed

If the AiBud WP plugin is installed and upload directories contain executable files or allow script execution, the environment is likely affected by this vulnerability.

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.

From vendor data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Immediately disable or remove the affected plugin until a patched version is available. Implement proper server-side file type validation using a whitelist approach, store uploads outside the web root, and disable script execution in upload directories.

Have this fixed Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
22.0 hours of engineering $3,860
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Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally
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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-2025-23968 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
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