CVE-2025-3404
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 Download Manager plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion due to insufficient file path validation in the savePackage function in all versions up to, and including, 3.3.12. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Author-level access and above, to delete arbitrary files on the server, which can easily lead to remote code execution when the right file is deleted (such as wp-config.php).
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 confidenceThe Download Manager plugin for WordPress versions up to 3.3.12 contains an arbitrary file deletion vulnerability in the savePackage function due to insufficient file path validation. Authenticated attackers with Author-level permissions can delete arbitrary files on the server by manipulating file paths, potentially leading to RCE by deleting critical files like wp-config.php.
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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Confirm Download Manager plugin is installedLog into WordPress admin, navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins, and locate 'Download Manager' in the list. Note if the plugin is active or inactive.Affected if The Download Manager plugin is present in the plugins list, regardless of active status.
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Identify the installed version numberClick on the 'Download Manager' plugin entry to expand details, or use WP-CLI command: wp plugin list --filter='download-manager' --fields=name,version,statusAffected if The version displayed is 3.3.12 or any version lower (e.g., 3.3.11, 3.3.10, etc.).
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Verify if the savePackage functionality is accessibleCheck if the plugin's package/save feature is enabled. In plugin settings, look for options related to 'Packages' or 'File Packages' under the Download Manager settings menu. The vulnerability exists in the savePackage function used for creating downloadable packages.Affected if The package creation feature is enabled and accessible to users with Author-level permissions or higher.
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Review user accounts with Author-level or higher accessNavigate to Users > All Users in WordPress admin. Identify any accounts assigned the Author, Editor, or Administrator role. These role levels can access the vulnerable savePackage function.Affected if There is at least one user account with Author, Editor, or Administrator role who can access the WordPress admin area.
Your environment is affected if the Download Manager plugin is installed with version 3.3.12 or lower and any user with Author-level or higher access exists on the site.
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 Download Manager plugin to the latest version beyond 3.3.12 which contains the security patch. If immediate update is not possible, consider restricting user permissions or temporarily disabling the plugin.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation6.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA3.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $4,512.
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2025-3404 — 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-2025-3404 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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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.
- 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