CVE-2026-12240

CVE-2026-12240 is a high-severity vulnerability with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.0. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-502.

Key facts

Description

The Export User Data plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion due to insufficient file path validation in the unserialize function in all versions up to, and including, 2.2.6. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-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). Successful exploitation requires an administrator to trigger a user data export while a subscriber-level (or higher) user has stored a crafted serialized XLSXWriter object payload as their display name.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-12240?
The Export User Data plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion due to insufficient file path validation in the unserialize function in all versions up to, and including, 2.2.6. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-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). Successful exploitation requires an administrator to trigger a user data export while a subscriber-level (or higher) user has stored a crafted serialized XLSXWriter object payload as their display name.
How severe is CVE-2026-12240?
CVE-2026-12240 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.0, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2026-12240 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (26th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How do I fix CVE-2026-12240?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2026-12240 published?
CVE-2026-12240 was published on 2026-06-30.

References

Other CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data) vulnerabilities

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