HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2023-6972
CRITICAL

CVE-2023-6972

CWE-22Published: December 23, 2023· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

9.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

The Backup Migration plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Path Traversal in all versions up to, and including, 1.3.9 via the 'content-backups' and 'content-name', 'content-manifest', or 'content-bmitmp' and 'content-identy' HTTP headers. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to delete arbitrary files, including the wp-config.php file, which can make site takeover and remote code execution possible.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2023-6972 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 9.8.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

backupbliss1 product(s)
backup migration
Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
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

PATCHhttps://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/backup-backup/tags/1.3.9/includes/backup-heart.php
PATCHhttps://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/backup-backup/tags/1.3.9/includes/bypasser.php
PATCHhttps://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3012745/backup-backup
PATCHhttps://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/0a3ae696-f67d-4ed2-b307-d2f36b6f188c?source=cve
PATCHhttps://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/backup-backup/tags/1.3.9/includes/backup-heart.php
PATCHhttps://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/backup-backup/tags/1.3.9/includes/bypasser.php
PATCHhttps://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3012745/backup-backup
PATCHhttps://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/0a3ae696-f67d-4ed2-b307-d2f36b6f188c?source=cve

All References (8)

→
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/backup-backup/tags/1.3.9/includes/backup-heart.phpPatch
→
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/backup-backup/tags/1.3.9/includes/bypasser.phpPatch
→
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3012745/backup-backupPatch
→
https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/0a3ae696-f67d-4ed2-b307-d2f36b6f188c?source=cvePatch · Third Party Advisory
→
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/backup-backup/tags/1.3.9/includes/backup-heart.phpPatch
→
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/backup-backup/tags/1.3.9/includes/bypasser.phpPatch
→
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3012745/backup-backupPatch
→
https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/0a3ae696-f67d-4ed2-b307-d2f36b6f188c?source=cvePatch · Third Party Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2023-6972
CVSS Score9.8 / 10
SeverityCRITICAL
WeaknessCWE-22
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedDec 23, 2023

Related CVEs (CWE-22)

CVE-2025-69770
10.0
CVE-2026-41211
10.0
CVE-2008-1310
10.0
CVE-2025-52562
10.0
CVE-2026-36767
10.0
CVE-2026-11420
10.0

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2023-6972 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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