CVE-2026-14560 in teddy-bear-customize-addon Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/11/2026
The teddy-bear-customize-addon WordPress plugin through 1.0.5 does not properly validate uploaded files, relying on a client-supplied content type and preserving the original filename, allowing unauthenticated attackers to upload arbitrary PHP files and execute code on the server.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/11/2026
The vulnerability identified in the teddy-bear-customize-addon WordPress plugin versions through 1.0.5 represents a critical security flaw rooted in improper input validation during file upload operations. This specific weakness allows unauthenticated attackers to bypass standard security controls by exploiting deficiencies in how the application handles user-supplied data. The core issue lies in the plugins reliance on client-supplied content types rather than server-side verification of the actual file contents, combined with the preservation of original filenames provided by the uploader. These two factors create a predictable and exploitable pathway for malicious actors to introduce harmful scripts into the web directory structure of the targeted WordPress installation.
From a technical perspective, the flaw is classified under CWE-434, which describes the unrestricted upload of files with dangerous types. When a user initiates an upload, the application checks the MIME type reported by the client browser or HTTP request header instead of performing deep packet inspection or magic number analysis to verify the true nature of the file data. Furthermore, because the plugin preserves the original filename without sanitization or randomization, attackers can simply rename their malicious payloads with a .php extension before uploading them. Since the server trusts the provided content type and accepts the name as-is, it stores the PHP script in an accessible directory where it can be invoked directly via HTTP requests. This behavior violates fundamental security principles regarding trust boundaries, assuming that client-side data is inherently safe when processed by the backend system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, leading to remote code execution on the affected server. Once a malicious PHP file is successfully uploaded and stored in a web-accessible location, an attacker can trigger its execution by navigating to the specific URL path where the file resides. This grants the attacker full control over the underlying operating system context running the web server process. Consequences include complete compromise of the WordPress site, theft or modification of sensitive data such as user credentials and database contents, installation of backdoors for persistent access, and potential pivoting into other systems within the internal network infrastructure. Because this vulnerability requires no authentication, it is easily exploitable by automated scanning tools and script kiddies, significantly increasing the risk profile for any site running an unpatched version of this plugin.
In terms of industry standard mapping, this incident aligns with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1505.003, known as Web Shell: ASPX, PHP, JSP, or CGI, which details how attackers deploy web shells to maintain access and execute commands. It also correlates with CWE-20, Improper Input Validation, specifically regarding the failure to validate file extensions and content types against a whitelist of allowed values. The lack of proper validation allows the application to process data that is not expected by its design logic, leading to unintended code execution paths.
To mitigate this risk, immediate action is required from system administrators and developers. The most effective remediation strategy is to update the teddy-bear-customize-addon plugin to version 1.0.6 or later, where these validation checks have presumably been strengthened. If updating is not immediately feasible, temporary mitigations should include disabling file upload functionality within the plugin settings if it is not strictly necessary for business operations. Additionally, implementing a Web Application Firewall can help detect and block requests attempting to upload PHP files with suspicious content types or accessing known malicious paths. Server-side hardening measures such as configuring web servers like Apache or Nginx to disable script execution in specific upload directories provide an additional layer of defense by ensuring that even if a file is uploaded, it cannot be executed as code. Regular audits of plugin code for similar vulnerabilities are also recommended to maintain overall application security posture.