+44 1865 950 828 Secure Your Business
Actively exploited

CVE-2026-119977 WordPress WordPress Core Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition Vulnerability

WordPress WordPress Core contains a time-of-check time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition vulnerability that could allow unauthenticated attackers to execute code on the server during the upgrade window. This is due to predictable, web-accessible staging paths used during full-package core upgrades.

From the CISA KEV catalogue version 2026.11.06, with Cybergen analysis. Updated 6 Nov 2026.

Our Assessment

Should You Worry?

Patch nowCybergen assessment
  • CISA confirmed exploitation in the wild and added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on 3 Nov 2026.
  • Rated High severity (CVSS 8.1, scored by Vendor).
The Vulnerability

What It Is

WordPress Core is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution in versions 4.7 through 7.1.3. This is due to predictable, web-accessible staging paths used during full-package core upgrades. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to execute code on the server during the upgrade window.

Affected Versions

ProductVersions
WordPress Foundation WordPress4.7.0 to 4.7.38
4.8.0 to 4.8.33
4.9.0 to 4.9.34
5.0.0 to 5.0.30
5.1.0 to 5.1.27
5.2.0 to 5.2.29

From the public CVE record, as supplied by the vendor. Always confirm against the vendor advisory.

From Watch to Action

What To Do Now

  1. 1

    Find it

    Search your asset inventory and external attack surface for WordPress Core. Include cloud images, appliances and anything a supplier runs for you.

    Attack Surface Management
  2. 2

    Fix it

    Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines.

    Vulnerability Management
  3. 3

    Hunt for compromise

    If an affected system was reachable before you patched, assume it may have been hit. Check logs, new accounts, web shells and outbound connections from the date of exposure.

    Incident Response
  4. 4

    Prove it is fixed

    Rescan or test the system after patching. Upgrades that fail silently and forgotten secondary instances are common.

    Penetration Testing

Vendor Advisories

Regulation

The Compliance Clock

Cyber EssentialsRated high, so if it affects devices in your Cyber Essentials scope, the update must be installed within 14 days of the vendor releasing it.NIS2If exploitation causes a significant incident, essential and important entities owe their CSIRT an early warning within 24 hours and a notification within 72 hours.DORAFinancial entities must classify ICT incidents and send an initial notification for a major incident within strict deadlines, with exploited flaws a common cause.US federal (BOD 22-01)Federal civilian agencies have until 6 Nov 2026 to remediate. A sensible benchmark for everyone else.

General guidance, not legal advice. Your obligations depend on your sector, scope and jurisdiction.

Stay Ahead

More Exploited WordPress Flaws

Get alerts for WordPressWe email you when a new WordPress vulnerability is confirmed as exploited. Add more vendors on Threat Watch.

By signing up you agree to receive Threat Watch alerts. Unsubscribe at any time. See our Privacy Policy.

CVE-2026-87902WordPress Core Remote File Inclusion VulnerabilityAdded 25 Sep 2026CVE-2026-60137WordPress Core SQL Injection VulnerabilityAdded 21 Jul 2026CVE-2026-63030WordPress Core Interpretation Conflict VulnerabilityAdded 21 Jul 2026CVE-2020-25213WordPress File Manager Plugin Remote Code Execution VulnerabilityAdded 3 Nov 2021CVE-2020-11738WordPress Snap Creek Duplicator Plugin File Download VulnerabilityAdded 3 Nov 2021CVE-2019-9978WordPress Social Warfare Plugin Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) VulnerabilityAdded 3 Nov 2021

All 7 exploited WordPress vulnerabilities

Not Sure If You Are Exposed?

Our attack surface and vulnerability teams can check your internet-facing estate for CVE-2026-119977 and every other exploited flaw on the list.

Check My Exposure
Evidence

Sources

  1. CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue
  2. NVD: CVE-2026-119977
  3. CVE record: CVE-2026-119977
  4. FIRST EPSS
  5. wordpress.org/news/2026/10/wordpress-7-1-4
  6. wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/wordpress-core/wordpress-core-470-713-unauthenticated-upg
  7. wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/4b4da0cf-d9f4-47c4-a0e8-6c4dc5a6f250?source=cve
  8. core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tags/7.1.3/src/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-upgrader.php#L378
  9. core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tags/7.1.3/src/wp-admin/includes/class-core-upgrader.php#L162
  10. core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tags/7.1.3/src/wp-admin/includes/update-core.php#L1549
  11. core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tags/7.1.3/src/wp-admin/setup-config.php#L282
  12. core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tags/7.1.4/src/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-upgrader.php#L346