CVE-2023-6826 – The E2Pdf WordPress plugin has an arbitrary fil... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2023-6826?

CVE-2023-6826 has a CVSS score of 7.2 (HIGH). The E2Pdf WordPress plugin has an arbitrary file upload vulnerability in versions up to 1.20.25 due to insufficient file type validation. This allows authenticated attackers with plugin access to upload malicious files, potentially leading to remote code execution. WordPress sites using vulnerable E2Pdf plugin versions are affected.

📋 TL;DR

The E2Pdf WordPress plugin has an arbitrary file upload vulnerability in versions up to 1.20.25 due to insufficient file type validation. This allows authenticated attackers with plugin access to upload malicious files, potentially leading to remote code execution. WordPress sites using vulnerable E2Pdf plugin versions are affected.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

E2Pdf WordPress Plugin

Versions: Up to and including 1.20.25

Operating Systems: All platforms running WordPress

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Requires authenticated user with plugin access granted by administrator.

📦 What is this software?

E2pdf by E2pdf

View all CVEs affecting E2pdf →

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Full server compromise via remote code execution, data theft, site defacement, and malware distribution.

🟠

Likely Case

Unauthorized file upload leading to backdoor installation, privilege escalation, or data exfiltration.

🟢

If Mitigated

Limited impact if proper file upload restrictions and user role controls are implemented.

🌐 Internet-Facing: HIGH

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: LIKELY

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: LOW

Exploitation requires authenticated access but is straightforward once access is obtained.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: 1.20.26 and later

Vendor Advisory: https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3009695/e2pdf#file0

Restart Required: No

Instructions:

1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins. 3. Find E2Pdf plugin and update to version 1.20.26 or later. 4. Verify update completes successfully.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable E2Pdf Plugin

all

Temporarily disable the vulnerable plugin until patching is possible.

wp plugin deactivate e2pdf

Restrict File Uploads via .htaccess

linux

Add file type restrictions to prevent PHP and other executable file uploads.

<FilesMatch "\.(php|php3|php4|php5|phtml|pl|py|jsp|asp|sh|cgi)$">\n  Order Allow,Deny\n  Deny from all\n</FilesMatch>

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Remove plugin access from all non-essential users and review user roles.
Implement web application firewall rules to block suspicious file upload patterns.

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check WordPress admin panel > Plugins > E2Pdf version. If version is 1.20.25 or lower, system is vulnerable.

Check Version:

wp plugin get e2pdf --field=version

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify E2Pdf plugin version is 1.20.26 or higher in WordPress admin panel.

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Unusual file uploads to E2Pdf import endpoints
POST requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php with action=e2pdf_templates_import

Network Indicators:

HTTP POST requests with file uploads to E2Pdf plugin endpoints

SIEM Query:

source="web_logs" AND uri_path="/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php" AND post_data CONTAINS "e2pdf_templates_import" AND file_upload=true

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2023-6826

CVSS v3 Score: 7.2 (HIGH)

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CWE: CWE-434

Published: December 15, 2023

Last Updated: November 21, 2024

🔗 References

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