CVE-2018-8719 in WP Security Audit Log Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in the WP Security Audit Log plugin 3.1.1 for WordPress. Access to wp-content/uploads/wp-security-audit-log/* files is not restricted. For example, these files are indexed by Google and allows for attackers to possibly find sensitive information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-8719 resides within the WP Security Audit Log plugin version 3.1.1 for WordPress, representing a critical information disclosure flaw that undermines the security posture of affected systems. This issue stems from inadequate access controls within the plugin's file structure, specifically concerning the wp-content/uploads/wp-security-audit-log directory and its contents. The flaw allows unauthorized access to sensitive audit log files that should typically be restricted to authorized administrators only, creating a significant exposure vector for attackers seeking to compromise system integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper permission handling within the WordPress plugin architecture, where the wp-security-audit-log directory lacks appropriate access restrictions that would normally be enforced by the WordPress file system permissions model. This misconfiguration results in web-accessible directories that contain audit logs, configuration details, and potentially sensitive operational data. The vulnerability manifests when the plugin fails to implement proper authentication checks or access control mechanisms, allowing any internet user to traverse to the audit log directory and access its contents directly through HTTP requests.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the indexed Google search results provide attackers with an automated method for discovering sensitive system information. Audit logs typically contain detailed information about user activities, system changes, configuration modifications, and potentially credentials or session data that could be leveraged for further exploitation. This exposure creates a direct pathway for attackers to gather intelligence about the target system, including user login patterns, system vulnerabilities, and administrative activities that could inform subsequent attack phases.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the CWE-200 information disclosure weakness category, which encompasses the exposure of sensitive information to unauthorized actors. The attack surface is further expanded through the ATT&CK framework's reconnaissance phase, where adversaries can gather system information through publicly accessible resources. The vulnerability's classification as a privilege escalation vector within the ATT&CK matrix is significant, as it allows attackers to gain insights that could enable more sophisticated attacks. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including directory access restrictions, URL rewriting rules, and proper file permission configurations to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive audit log files.
The remediation strategy for CVE-2018-8719 requires immediate attention through plugin updates to versions that properly implement access controls, along with manual verification of file permissions and directory restrictions. Security teams must also conduct comprehensive audits of all plugin directories to ensure similar vulnerabilities do not exist within other components of the WordPress ecosystem. Additional protective measures include implementing web application firewalls, configuring proper robots.txt entries to prevent indexing of sensitive directories, and establishing monitoring for unusual access patterns to audit log files that could indicate exploitation attempts.