CVE-2024-6559 in XCloner Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/16/2024
The Backup, Restore and Migrate WordPress Sites With the XCloner Plugin plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Full Path Disclosure in all versions up to, and including, 4.7.3. This is due the plugin utilizing sabre without preventing direct access to the files. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to retrieve the full path of the web application, which can be used to aid other attacks. The information displayed is not useful on its own, and requires another vulnerability to be present for damage to an affected website.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/24/2026
The vulnerability identified in the XCloner WordPress plugin represents a significant security weakness that exposes the underlying file system structure of affected web applications. This Full Path Disclosure vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 4.7.3, making it a persistent threat across multiple releases. The flaw stems from the plugin's improper handling of file access through the sabre library, which fails to implement adequate access controls that would prevent direct file retrieval. When attackers exploit this vulnerability, they can obtain the complete server path where the WordPress installation resides, providing them with critical information about the application's directory structure and file locations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the plugin's security architecture where the sabre library is utilized without proper input validation or access restriction mechanisms. This allows unauthenticated attackers to directly access files that should remain protected within the application's directory structure. The vulnerability operates at the file system level rather than the application level, meaning that it reveals the physical location of the web application on the server where it is hosted. This information can be particularly valuable to attackers as it provides insights into the server configuration and potentially exposes sensitive paths that might be used in conjunction with other vulnerabilities to escalate attacks.
From an operational impact perspective, while the Full Path Disclosure vulnerability alone does not directly compromise the system or steal data, it significantly aids attackers in planning more sophisticated attacks against the affected WordPress installations. The revealed paths can be used to identify potential attack vectors, understand the server environment, and locate other vulnerabilities that might exist within the same application or server configuration. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-209, which specifically addresses information exposure through error handling, and can be categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1083 for discovering system information. The exposure of the full path creates a reconnaissance advantage for threat actors who might subsequently leverage this information to target other weaknesses in the system architecture.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability requires immediate attention from WordPress site administrators and system administrators who have deployed the XCloner plugin. The primary mitigation involves updating to a version that properly implements access controls and prevents direct file access through the sabre library. Organizations should also implement network-level restrictions that prevent unauthorized access to plugin directories and files, while ensuring that proper input validation is implemented for all file access operations. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual file access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper library integration and access control implementation in WordPress plugins, as well as the necessity of regular security audits to identify and address similar issues in other third-party components that might be present in the WordPress ecosystem.