CVE-2026-18051
W3 Total Cache < 2.10.5 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary Directory File Write and .htaccess Overwrite via Path Traversal in the Page Cache Key
Description
The W3 Total Cache WordPress plugin before 2.10.5 does not properly validate the request path it uses to build cache file names, allowing unauthenticated attackers to write a file into any existing directory on the server, inside or outside the web root, overwriting whatever occupies the target name. On Apache, the same flaw overwrites the site's .htaccess files, which breaks the site and can strip hardening rules that other security measures rely on.
INFO
Published Date :
Aug. 19, 2026, 6:17 a.m.
Last Modified :
Nov. 9, 2026, 8:10 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
Yes !
Source :
[email protected]
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 | |||||
| CVSS 3.1 | CRITICAL | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 |
Solution
- Update W3 Total Cache plugin to 2.10.5 or later.
- Restore any overwritten .htaccess files.
- Verify site integrity and security configurations.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-18051.
| URL | Resource |
|---|---|
| https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/dc56cdd2-419b-4a64-9d2a-29dc7e79cb6d/ |
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-18051 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-18051
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2026-18051 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-18051 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
-
CVE Translated by [email protected]
Nov. 09, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Translation Title: plugin W3 Total Cache para WordPress, Description: El plugin de WordPress W3 Total Cache anterior a la versión 2.10.5 no valida correctamente la ruta de la solicitud que utiliza para construir nombres de archivos de caché, permitiendo a atacantes no autenticados escribir un archivo en cualquier directorio existente en el servidor, dentro o fuera de la raíz web, sobrescribiendo lo que ocupe el nombre de destino. En Apache, el mismo fallo sobrescribe los archivos .[htaccess] del sitio, lo que rompe el sitio y puede eliminar reglas de endurecimiento en las que se basan otras medidas de seguridad. -
CVE Modified by 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
Aug. 19, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added CVSS V3.1 AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H Added CWE CWE-22 Added SSVC {'id': 'CVE-2026-18051', 'role': 'CISA Coordinator', 'options': [{'exploitation': 'none'}, {'automatable': 'yes'}, {'technicalImpact': 'total'}], 'version': '2.0.3', 'timestamp': '2026-08-19T16:42:35.731993Z'} -
New CVE Received by [email protected]
Aug. 19, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Affected [{'vendor': 'Unknown', 'product': 'W3 Total Cache', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '0', 'lessThan': '2.10.5', 'versionType': 'semver'}], 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected'}] Added Description The W3 Total Cache WordPress plugin before 2.10.5 does not properly validate the request path it uses to build cache file names, allowing unauthenticated attackers to write a file into any existing directory on the server, inside or outside the web root, overwriting whatever occupies the target name. On Apache, the same flaw overwrites the site's .htaccess files, which breaks the site and can strip hardening rules that other security measures rely on. Added Reference https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/dc56cdd2-419b-4a64-9d2a-29dc7e79cb6d/