HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2016-6896
HIGHPOC

CVE-2016-6896

CWE-22Published: January 18, 2017· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.1
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Directory traversal vulnerability in the wp_ajax_update_plugin function in wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php in WordPress 4.5.3 allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service or read certain text files via a .. (dot dot) in the plugin parameter to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php, as demonstrated by /dev/random read operations that deplete the entropy pool.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2016-6896 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

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

A successful exploit results in availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.1.

A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit exists for CVE-2016-6896. While not yet confirmed in active campaigns, the availability of PoC code increases exploitation risk substantially.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityLow
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

WordPress1 product(s)
wordpress
Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

POC AVAILABLEProof-of-concept code exists
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

ADVISORYhttp://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/08/20/1
ADVISORYhttps://sumofpwn.nl/advisory/2016/path_traversal_vulnerability_in_wordpress_core_ajax_handlers.html
ADVISORYhttp://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/08/20/1
ADVISORYhttps://sumofpwn.nl/advisory/2016/path_traversal_vulnerability_in_wordpress_core_ajax_handlers.html

All References (10)

→
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/08/20/1Mailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036683
→
https://sumofpwn.nl/advisory/2016/path_traversal_vulnerability_in_wordpress_core_ajax_handlers.htmlExploit · Technical Description · Third Party Advisory
→
https://wpvulndb.com/vulnerabilities/8606
→
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40288/
→
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/08/20/1Mailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036683
→
https://sumofpwn.nl/advisory/2016/path_traversal_vulnerability_in_wordpress_core_ajax_handlers.htmlExploit · Technical Description · Third Party Advisory
→
https://wpvulndb.com/vulnerabilities/8606
→
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40288/

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2016-6896
CVSS Score7.1 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-22
CISA KEVNo
ExploitPOC
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedJan 18, 2017

Related CVEs (CWE-22)

CVE-2011-2653
10.0
CVE-2014-3914
10.0
CVE-2026-48282
KEV10.0
CVE-2025-63414
10.0
CVE-2015-0779
10.0
CVE-2008-4526
10.0

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2016-6896 in threat intel feeds
  • →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.
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