CVE-2026-12511: AI Engine < 3.5.5 - Editor+ Arbitrary File Write via Path Traversal
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 32/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.46% (FIRST EPSS).
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: Unknown AI Engine 3.5.5.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to Unknown AI Engine 3.5.5 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
The AI Engine WordPress plugin before 3.5.5 does not sanitize a user-supplied filename before using it to write a downloaded file, allowing authenticated users with editor-level access to write attacker-controlled bytes to an arbitrary location on the server via path traversal.
- Published
- Jul 14, 2026
- Updated
- Jul 14, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.4% · 40th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-22
Report tools
Action score
32
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 32 / 40 · 8.1 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.4%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
Is AI Engine – MCP Server & AI Chatbot for WordPress, with Claude, ChatGPT & Gemini on your site?
WP Lens reads your site's plugin, theme and WordPress versions from the outside and matches them to known vulnerabilities. Works without an account.
Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
—
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (WPScan). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Unknown AI Engine
- before 3.5.5affected · semver
Same product
unknown: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2026-75797AI Engine 3.3.3 - 3.7.1 - Subscriber+ Arbitrary File Read via 'url' Parameter30Monitor
- CVE-2026-75796AI Engine 2.8.0 - 3.6.0 - Admin+ Multisite Network Administrator Account Takeover via MCP User Tools28Monitor
- CVE-2026-16954AI Engine < 3.6.4 - Editor+ Sensitive Information Disclosure of API Key and Bearer Tokens26Monitor
Published before and after this one in the same product
- Later →CVE-2026-12510Jul 16, 2026 · AI Engine < 3.5.5 - Subscriber+Chatbot Discussion Disclosure and Takeover via IDOR23Monitor
- Later →CVE-2026-16953Aug 8, 2026 · AI Engine < 3.6.4 - Unauthenticated Cross-Session Chatbot File Deletion via Forgeable Session Cookie19Monitor
- Later →CVE-2026-16955Aug 8, 2026 · AI Engine < 3.6.6 - Subscriber+ Arbitrary File Read via Audio Transcription20Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown AI Engine | 3.5.5 | Vendor (CNA) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
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.
No dated events beyond publication.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
- Meher Sudhakar Abbireddifinder
- WPScancoordinator
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
- CVE-2026-7579743 days apartAI Engine 3.3.3 - 3.7.1 - Subscriber+ Arbitrary File Read via 'url' Parameter30Monitor
- CVE-2026-1695525 days apartAI Engine < 3.6.6 - Subscriber+ Arbitrary File Read via Audio Transcription20Monitor
Not on record for this CVE: EPSS history · patch commit or PR link · public bounty program.
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- none
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- None
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
nvd-secondary
Root cause
A user-supplied file name is joined with the allowed directory, but the result is never checked to confirm it is still inside that directory.
The bug in code
The whole CWE-22 classA representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.
Vulnerable
const file = path.join(ROOT, req.query.name);
res.sendFile(file);Fixed
const file = path.resolve(ROOT, req.query.name);
if (!file.startsWith(ROOT + path.sep)) {
return res.sendStatus(400);
}
res.sendFile(file);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)
- Path TraversalCAPEC-126likelihood: High · Very High
- Using Slashes and URL Encoding Combined to Bypass Validation LogicCAPEC-64likelihood: High · High
- Manipulating Web Input to File System CallsCAPEC-76likelihood: High · Very High
- Using Escaped Slashes in Alternate EncodingCAPEC-78likelihood: High · High
- Using Slashes in Alternate EncodingCAPEC-79likelihood: High · High
ATT&CK techniques
—
Change log (1)
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.