The W3 Total Cache WordPress plugin before 2.10.5 does not properly validate the request path it uses to build cache file names, allowing unauthenticated attackers to write a file into any existing directory on the server, inside or outside the web root, overwriting whatever occupies the target name.
On Apache, the same flaw overwrites the site's .htaccess files, which breaks the site and can strip hardening rules that other security measures rely on.

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Fixes

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Workaround

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History

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 06:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description The W3 Total Cache WordPress plugin before 2.10.5 does not properly validate the request path it uses to build cache file names, allowing unauthenticated attackers to write a file into any existing directory on the server, inside or outside the web root, overwriting whatever occupies the target name. On Apache, the same flaw overwrites the site's .htaccess files, which breaks the site and can strip hardening rules that other security measures rely on.
Title W3 Total Cache < 2.10.5 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary Directory File Write and .htaccess Overwrite via Path Traversal in the Page Cache Key
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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: WPScan

Published:

Updated: 2026-08-19T06:00:18.573Z

Reserved: 2026-07-28T12:02:07.571Z

Link: CVE-2026-18051

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-08-19T06:17:36.863

Modified: 2026-08-19T06:17:36.863

Link: CVE-2026-18051

cve-icon Redhat

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cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

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Weaknesses

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