CVE-2026-12277
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 Frontend File Manager Plugin WordPress plugin through 23.6 does not validate a file path derived from user input before deleting the referenced file, allowing unauthenticated users to delete arbitrary files on the server (such as wp-config.php) when guest upload mode is enabled. Deleting wp-config.php forces the site into its setup routine, which can be leveraged toward a full site takeover.
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 Frontend File Manager Plugin for WordPress versions through 23.6 lacks validation on file path parameters in its file deletion functionality. When guest upload mode is enabled, unauthenticated attackers can supply arbitrary file paths to delete critical server files, including wp-config.php, which forces the WordPress installation into its setup routine and enables full site takeover.
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
- High
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/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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Identify if Frontend File Manager plugin is installedCheck the WordPress plugins directory for a folder named 'frontend-file-manager' or similar, or query the wp_plugins table for entries containing 'file manager' in the plugin nameAffected if The plugin is present in the WordPress installation
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Determine the installed plugin versionRead the main plugin file header in wp-content/plugins/[plugin-folder]/[main-file].php to find the Version field, or query the wp_plugins table for the Version valueAffected if The version is 23.6 or any lower version number
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Verify if guest upload mode is enabledCheck the plugin settings in WordPress admin under the plugin configuration page for a 'guest upload' or 'allow guest upload' setting, or query the wp_options table for option names related to guest upload (such as 'ffm_guest_upload' or similar)Affected if Guest upload mode is turned ON or set to enabled
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Confirm the file deletion feature is exposedTest whether unauthenticated users can access the file deletion endpoint by sending a DELETE request to the plugin's AJAX handler or direct deletion URL without authenticationAffected if Unauthenticated (not logged-in) users can trigger file deletion operations
A user is affected if the Frontend File Manager plugin versions 23.6 or lower is installed AND guest upload mode is enabled, allowing unauthenticated path traversal deletion of arbitrary files.
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 dataDisable guest upload mode immediately in the plugin settings, or update to a patched version if available. If no patch exists, remove the plugin entirely until a fix is released.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation1.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2026-12277 — 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-2026-12277 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