WordPress Plugin Advanced Custom Fields <= 3.5.1 Remote File Inclusion
The WordPress plugin Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) version 3.5.1 and below contains a remote file inclusion (RFI) vulnerability in core/actions/export.php. When the PHP configuration directive allow_url_include is enabled (default: Off), an unauthenticated attacker can exploit the acf_abspath POST parameter to include and execute arbitrary remote PHP code. This leads to remote code execution under the web server’s context, allowing full compromise of the host.
- Published
- Aug 5, 2025
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 1.8% · 78th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-98
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Report tools
Action score
41
Plan
Add it to your regular patch cycle.
- CVSS
- 40 / 40 · 10.0 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 1 / 30 · 1.8%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- proof of concept
- Automatable
- yes
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- —
- CNA · VulnCheck
- 10.0
- NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Affected systems
—
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (VulnCheck). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Advanced Custom Fields WordPress Plugin
- up to and including 3.5.1affected · semver
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
No fix version is recorded for this entry. Check the references for vendor advisories.
Exploit status
Weaponized
A ready exploit tool or active in-the-wild use is known for this vulnerability. This should be your top priority.
Evidence
- Metasploit module ×1
Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.
| Source | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Metasploit module | exploit/unix/webapp/wp_advanced_custom_fields_execWordPress Plugin Advanced Custom Fields Remote File Inclusionexploit | 2012-11-14 |
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
- Metasploit-4648 d
- Published
- TodaySep 30, 2026+421 d
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
- Charlie Eriksenfinder
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- Integrity
- Availability
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- X
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-98 · Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion')CVSS vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
nvd-secondary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
ATT&CK techniques
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Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
No changes recorded on tracked fields yet. Score, KEV, exploit maturity and fix status changes appear here.
References
- web.archive.org/web/20121223025326/http://secunia.com:80/advisories/51037
- raw.githubusercontent.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/master/modules/exploits/unix/webapp/wp_advanced_custom_fields_exec.rb
- wordpress.org/plugins/advanced-custom-fields/
- wpscan.com/vulnerability/d132d93b-509c-490d-8001-87147ed28c5e/
- www.exploit-db.com/exploits/23856
- www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/63326
- www.vulncheck.com/advisories/wordpress-plugin-advanced-custom-fields-remote-file-inclusion
- www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/wordpress-plugins/advanced-custom-fields/advanced-custom-fields-351-remote-code-execution-via-remote-file-inclusion
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.