Is CVE-2026-119977 exploited in the wild?

Yes. CVE-2026-119977 is known to be exploited in the wild, first recorded on 3 November 2026. Treat it as urgent.

How severe is CVE-2026-119977?

Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 8.1, published 31 October 2026.

Which products and versions are affected?

Automattic WordPress 4.7 through 7.1.3.

Is there a fix for CVE-2026-119977?

No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

How is CVE-2026-119977 attacked?

It is attacked over the network, in a web application.

Am I affected by CVE-2026-119977?

Check whether you run Automattic WordPress or WordPress Core at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

CVE-2026-119977: WordPress Core remote code execution in upgrade path

CVE-2026-119977 · Severity: critical · CVSS 8.1 · Exploited in the wild · Published 2026-10-31

WordPress, the platform powering millions of websites worldwide, is vulnerable to remote code execution during core software upgrades in versions 4.7 through 7.1.3. Attackers can exploit predictable, publicly accessible staging directories created during upgrades to run arbitrary code on affected servers without needing any authentication or user interaction. This allows attackers to fully compromise websites during maintenance windows.

Technologies: WordPress Core. Vendors: Automattic, Wordpress.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2026-119977 exploited in the wild?: Yes. CVE-2026-119977 is known to be exploited in the wild, first recorded on 3 November 2026. Treat it as urgent.
How severe is CVE-2026-119977?: Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 8.1, published 31 October 2026.
Which products and versions are affected?: Automattic WordPress 4.7 through 7.1.3.
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-119977?: No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.
How is CVE-2026-119977 attacked?: It is attacked over the network, in a web application.
Am I affected by CVE-2026-119977?: Check whether you run Automattic WordPress or WordPress Core at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

Technical details

The vulnerability exists in the core upgrade mechanism (class-core-upgrader.php and class-wp-upgrader.php) which creates predictable, web-accessible temporary staging paths during full-package core upgrades. An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit this during the upgrade window to upload and execute arbitrary code, gaining complete control of the affected server. This is a window-of-opportunity attack that requires the target to be actively upgrading WordPress.

Affected products

Automattic WordPress 4.7 through 7.1.3

Timeline

2026-10-31: disclosed

References

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