CVE-2026-18438 HIGH

CVE-2026-18438: Templately <= 3.7.1 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Arbitrary File Upload to Remote Code Execution via Gutenberg Cloud Import Attachment Filename Mismatch

Vendor Wpdevteam
Product Templately – Elementor & Gutenberg Template Library: 6500+ Free & Pro Ready Templates And Cloud!
Weakness CWE-434 · Unrestricted file upload
Published August 15, 2026
Last update August 15, 2026

CVSS base score

8.8/10
Attack vector Network
Attack complexity Low
Privileges required Low
User interaction None
Confidentiality High
Integrity High

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

What the vulnerability does

01Description

The Templately – Elementor & Gutenberg Template Library: 6500+ Free & Pro Ready Templates And Cloud! plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution in all versions up to, and including, 3.7.1 via the fetch_remote_file function. This is due to a filename validation/destination mismatch in fetch_remote_file, where file type validation is performed against the attacker-controlled Content-Disposition filename rather than the URL-path-derived destination filename. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with contributor-level access and above, to execute code on the server. A GIF+PHP polyglot file passes wp_check_filetype_and_ext validation as image/gif via the Content-Disposition filename, while the actual destination path is written with a .php extension derived from the URL path, bypassing the unfiltered_upload capability gate entirely. The affected endpoints are reachable at this privilege level because Templately's entire REST API — including the cloud import endpoints used in this attack (/templately/v1/clouds/upload and /templately/v1/insert) — is authorized only by a current_user_can('delete_posts') check, with no administrator or manage_options capability requirement. The same permission gate also allows a contributor to overwrite the site's global Templately cloud connection via the /templately/v1/login endpoint with global_signin set to true. A complete remediation should both correct fetch_remote_file to validate the file type against the actual destination filename rather than the Content-Disposition header (and avoid deriving the write path from the request URL), and restrict state-changing Templately REST routes to an appropriate administrator-level capability.

Explanation of Vulnerability in Simple Terms

02Summary

Templately allows authenticated users to upload files without proper type validation, enabling them to upload dangerous file types. An attacker with low-level site access can exploit this to run their own code on the site, read sensitive data, or disrupt service. All versions up to 3.7.1 are affected.

What an attacker can do

03Attacker Capabilities

Upload and execute malicious files to run code on the site, steal data, or cause downtime.

Potential impact on your site

04Site Impact

Compromised site with potential data theft, malware injection, or complete takeover if a low-privilege user account is breached.

Conditions required to exploit

05Prerequisites

Attacker must have a low-level user account (subscriber or contributor role) on the WordPress site.

Key dates

06Disclosure timeline

August 15, 2026 CVE published

Related vulnerabilities

08Related CVE