dbcve.org
Unrestricted File UploadWeakness · CWE-434

CVE-2025-4279

HIGH · 8.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-05-05
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 External image replace plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file uploads due to missing file type validation in the 'external_image_replace_get_posts::replace_post' function in all versions up to, and including, 1.0.8. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with contributor-level and above permissions, to upload arbitrary files on the affected site's server which may make remote code execution possible.

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 External image replace WordPress plugin fails to validate file types in the replace_post function, allowing authenticated users with contributor-level or higher permissions to upload arbitrary files to the server, which could enable remote code execution.

MitigationUpdate the plugin to version 1.0.9 or later if available; otherwise remove the plugin. Restrict contributor-level user capabilities until the patch is applied.

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. Verify the External Image Replace plugin is installed
    Navigate to WordPress admin > Plugins, or inspect /wp-content/plugins/ directory for 'external-image-replace' folder
    Affected if The plugin folder exists in the WordPress installation
  2. Identify the installed plugin version
    Check the plugin main file header (e.g., external-image-replace.php) for 'Version:' comment, or view version in WordPress plugin admin page
    Affected if Version is lower than 1.0.9 or version cannot be determined
  3. Confirm contributor-level or higher user accounts exist
    In WordPress admin, go to Users > All Users and review roles assigned; or query wp_users and wp_usermeta tables for users with 'contributor', 'author', 'editor', or 'administrator' roles
    Affected if At least one user with contributor-level or higher permissions exists in the system
  4. Verify the replace_post function is accessible
    Inspect the plugin source code for the replace_post function and confirm it handles file uploads without proper file type validation
    Affected if The replace_post function processes file uploads without validating file types (check for missing mime-type or extension checks before move_uploaded_file or similar functions)

If the plugin is installed, running a version lower than 1.0.9, and any user with contributor-level or higher permissions exists, the environment is 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.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Update the plugin to version 1.0.9 or later if available; otherwise remove the plugin. Restrict contributor-level user capabilities until the patch is applied.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Version after 1.0.8 (check WordPress plugin repository for latest stable release)

  1. 1. Navigate to the WordPress admin dashboard
  2. 2. Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins
  3. 3. Locate the 'External image replace' plugin
  4. 4. Check if an update is available for the plugin
  5. 5. If an update is available, update the plugin to the latest version

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

Have this fixed Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation1.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
6.0 hours of engineering $1,060
Get help mitigating

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $1,696.

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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-2025-4279 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