Is CVE-2011-4899 actively exploited?

A proof-of-concept exploit is publicly available for CVE-2011-4899, but active exploitation has not been confirmed.

Can CVE-2011-4899 be exploited remotely?

Yes. CVE-2011-4899 is exploitable remotely over the network (CVSS attack vector: Network).

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2011-4899?

CVE-2011-4899 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (HIGH).

HOME VULNERABILITIESCVE-2011-4899

HIGHPOC

CVE-2011-4899

NVD-CWE-noinfoPublished: January 30, 2012· Updated: Jun 16, 2026

7.5

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

wp-admin/setup-config.php in the installation component in WordPress 3.3.1 and earlier does not ensure that the specified MySQL database service is appropriate, which allows remote attackers to configure an arbitrary database via the dbhost and dbname parameters, and subsequently conduct static code injection and cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks via (1) an HTTP request or (2) a MySQL query. NOTE: the vendor disputes the significance of this issue; however, remote code execution makes the issue important in many realistic environments

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2011-4899 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

Exploitation requires some privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit exists for CVE-2011-4899. While not yet confirmed in active campaigns, the availability of PoC code increases exploitation risk substantially.