Cherry Plugin for WordPress: Path traversal allows arbitrary file download
Summary
The Cherry Plugin for WordPress before 1.2.7 contains a path traversal flaw in download-content.php. An unauthenticated attacker can send a crafted GET request with the 'file' parameter to download arbitrary files from the server, for example wp-config.php, which contains database credentials. Sites with the plugin installed and exposed to the internet are at risk.
Affected
- Cherry Plugin for WordPress, versions 1.1 to before 1.2.7
- Default configuration: not affected (per CVE record)
Fixed in
- Version 1.2.7 (patch commit 69a3f7b)
- Later versions 1.2.8, 1.2.8.1 and 1.2.8.2 are listed on the vendor's releases page
Workaround
- Deactivate and delete the plugin if it is not needed
- Restrict web access to the plugin's admin path at web server or WAF level until the update is applied
- No workaround is documented in the CVE record
Exploitation
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation status 'poc', automatable: yes, technical impact: partial
- A public Nuclei detection template exists for this issue
- The CVE description states exploitation was first observed by Shadowserver on 2023-10-19; this could not be verified
- Conflicting sources on KEV listing; CISA KEV status unconfirmed
Our recommendation
- Check all WordPress installations for the Cherry Plugin and its version
- Update to version 1.2.7 or later, or remove the plugin if it is not needed
- Restrict access to the plugin's admin path in the meantime
- Review the server for unexpected files and rotate database credentials and WordPress salts if exposure is suspected
- Monitor web server logs for requests to download-content.php with traversal sequences
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- Fix commit 69a3f7b (CherryFramework cherry-plugin) github.com
- Cherry Plugin releases (CherryFramework) github.com
- WPScan vulnerability entry wpscan.com
- WPScan plugin page: cherry-plugin wpscan.com
- VulnCheck advisory www.vulncheck.com
- ProjectDiscovery Nuclei template cherry-file-download github.com
- VulDB entry 423018 vuldb.com
Researched and written up in English and German by an AI (Claude by Anthropic) based on NVD, CISA, EPSS and the sources listed. The vendor information is authoritative. Researched on 1 Nov 2026, 01:23.
Original description (NVD)
Cherry Plugin for WordPress before 1.2.7 contains a path traversal vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to download arbitrary files via the 'file' parameter. Attackers can send GET requests to /admin/import-export/download-content.php with traversal sequences like ../../../../../wp-config.php to read database credentials, since the script passes input directly to readfile(). Exploitation evidence was first observed by the Shadowserver Foundation on 2023-10-19.
NVD references (5)
- https://github.com/CherryFramework/cherry-plugin/commit/69a3f7b
- https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/vulnerabilities/wordpress/cherry-file-dow…
- https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/90034817-dee7-40c9-80a2-1f1cd1d033ee
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/cherry-plugin-for-wordpress-1.2.7-path-traversal-via-download-content-php
- https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/90034817-dee7-40c9-80a2-1f1cd1d033ee/
Sources
The tracker combines official, freely usable data sources – updated continuously:
- NVD (NIST) – CVEs, rating (CVSS), affected products
- CISA KEV – vulnerabilities confirmed by CISA as actively exploited
- CISA Vulnrichment – CISA assessment (SSVC) in the official CVE record
- FIRST EPSS – probability of exploitation
- Microsoft MSRC – Patch Tuesday: vulnerabilities, severity, updates
- PoC-in-GitHub – public proof-of-concept repositories
- Metasploit (Rapid7) – modules of the Metasploit Framework
- Exploit-DB (OffSec) – archive of public exploits (links only)
- Patch days: official vendor pages (linked per vendor) (Vendor patch days)
This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS data © FIRST.org.
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