dbcve.org
Unrestricted File UploadWeakness · CWE-434

CVE-2026-4885

CRITICAL · 9.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-05-19
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
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 Piotnet Addons for Elementor Pro plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file upload due to missing file type validation in the 'pafe_ajax_form_builder' function in all versions up to, and including, 7.1.70. The plugin uses an incomplete extension blacklist that only blocks php, phpt, php5, php7, and exe extensions, while allowing dangerous extensions such as .phar or .phtml to be uploaded. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to upload arbitrary files on the affected site's server which may make remote code execution possible. Note: The exploit can only be exploited if a file field is added to the form.

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 Piotnet Addons for Elementor Pro plugin versions up to 7.1.70 contains a flawed blacklist-based file upload validation in the pafe_ajax_form_builder function. While the plugin blocks basic PHP extensions (php, phpt, php5, php7, exe), it fails to block dangerous alternatives like .phar and .phtml, allowing unauthenticated attackers to upload malicious files and achieve remote code execution if a form includes a file field.

MitigationUpdate the plugin to a patched version once available; alternatively, remove all file upload forms or disable the plugin until proper allowlist-based file validation is implemented.

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
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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. Confirm Piotnet Addons for Elementor Pro is installed
    Check your WordPress plugins directory or the WordPress admin dashboard under Plugins > Installed Plugins. Look for 'Piotnet Addons for Elementor Pro' in the list.
    Affected if The plugin is present in the installation
  2. Identify the installed plugin version
    In the WordPress admin, go to Plugins > Installed Plugins and locate Piotnet Addons for Elementor Pro. The version number is displayed below the plugin name. Alternatively, check the version in the plugin header file (usually in the main plugin PHP file).
    Affected if The installed version is 7.1.70 or any version lower than 7.1.70
  3. Verify if file upload forms are configured
    Check your Elementor page builder for any forms created with Piotnet Addons that include file upload fields. Look in Elementor > My Templates or check the pages/posts where form widgets were used. Inspect the form settings to confirm the file upload feature is enabled.
    Affected if A form with file upload capability exists and is in use on the site
  4. Test exposure of the vulnerable AJAX endpoint
    Send a crafted HTTP POST request to your site's wp-admin/admin-ajax.php endpoint with the action parameter set to 'pafe_ajax_form_builder'. Use a tool like curl: curl -X POST https://yoursite.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php -d 'action=pafe_ajax_form_builder'
    Affected if The endpoint responds without requiring authentication (returns a 200 OK rather than a 401/403 error)
  5. Inspect the upload configuration for file type restrictions
    If you have admin access, go to the Piotnet Addons settings in WordPress admin. Navigate to Form Builder settings and examine the allowed file extensions configuration for any upload fields.
    Affected if The upload configuration relies on a blacklist approach rather than an allowlist, or explicitly allows extensions like .phar or .phtml

A user is affected if the Piotnet Addons for Elementor Pro plugin version 7.1.70 or lower is installed AND the site has an active form with file upload functionality exposed to the pafe_ajax_form_builder AJAX endpoint.

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 a patched version once available; alternatively, remove all file upload forms or disable the plugin until proper allowlist-based file validation is implemented.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Version 7.1.71 or later (latest available version)

  1. 1. Log in to the WordPress admin dashboard
  2. 2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins
  3. 3. Locate 'Piotnet Addons for Elementor Pro' in the plugin list
  4. 4. Check the current installed version (should be 7.1.70 or earlier)
  5. 5. If an update is available, click 'Update Now' to install the latest version
  6. 6. After updating, verify the new version number reflects the fix
  7. 7. Ensure any forms with file upload fields have appropriate restrictions configured
Caveat Test the update on a staging site first, as form builder functionality may have changed

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

Have this fixed Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation6.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
15.0 hours of engineering $2,640
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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-2026-4885 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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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