# CVE-2026-120518: BuddyPress XProfile Image Field <= 3.1.0 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary File Deletion via Signup Image Field Activation Handler

Status: published. Published: 2026-11-03. Updated: 2026-11-07.

The BuddyPress XProfile Image Field plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion in all versions up to, and including, 3.1.0. This is due to bpxp_image_field_update_on_user_activation() calling unlink() on a path built from visitor-supplied signup metadata with no realpath() resolution, no containment check against the profile-image directory and no extension allow-list. Submitting a zero-byte file with the 'field_N_hidden' parameter during registration makes the plugin store the raw value, which is then resolved against the document root when the pending signup is activated. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to delete arbitrary files on the server, which can easily lead to remote code execution when the right file (such as wp-config.php) is deleted. Requires open registration and an image-type profile field on the signup form.

## Remediation

No remediation reported in collected sources

## Affected products and versions

- kalengi / BuddyPress XProfile Custom Image Field: ≥ 0; ≤ 3.1.0 (affected, semver). Source: CNA: Wordfence

## Severity and prioritization

- CVSS 3.1: 9.1 (critical); CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H; source: CNA: Wordfence

- CVSS 3.1: 9.1 (critical); CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H; source: NVD: security@wordfence.com

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: 0.78% as of 2026-11-06; percentile 56.08%

- SSVC: exploitation none; automatable yes; technical impact partial; source ADP: CISA-ADP

- Weaknesses: CWE-22

## Exploit evidence

No exploit evidence in collected sources. This is not proof of no exploitation.

## References

- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/1a53bcf5-61ed-427c-9efd-29c9309d2426?source=cve (CNA: Wordfence)

- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/buddypress-xprofile-image-field/tags/3.1.0/bp-xprofile-image-field.php#L526 (CNA: Wordfence)

- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/buddypress-xprofile-image-field/tags/3.1.0/bp-xprofile-image-field.php#L488 (CNA: Wordfence)

- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/buddypress-xprofile-image-field/tags/3.1.0/bp-xprofile-image-field.php#L494 (CNA: Wordfence)

- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/buddypress-xprofile-image-field/tags/3.1.0/bp-xprofile-image-field.php#L507 (CNA: Wordfence)

- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/buddypress-xprofile-image-field/tags/3.1.0/bp-xprofile-image-field.php#L587 (CNA: Wordfence)

- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-48158 (CNA: Wordfence)

- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-48158 (security@wordfence.com)

- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/buddypress-xprofile-image-field/tags/3.1.0/bp-xprofile-image-field.php#L488 (security@wordfence.com)

- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/buddypress-xprofile-image-field/tags/3.1.0/bp-xprofile-image-field.php#L494 (security@wordfence.com)

- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/buddypress-xprofile-image-field/tags/3.1.0/bp-xprofile-image-field.php#L507 (security@wordfence.com)

- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/buddypress-xprofile-image-field/tags/3.1.0/bp-xprofile-image-field.php#L526 (security@wordfence.com)

- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/buddypress-xprofile-image-field/tags/3.1.0/bp-xprofile-image-field.php#L587 (security@wordfence.com)

- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/1a53bcf5-61ed-427c-9efd-29c9309d2426?source=cve (security@wordfence.com)

## Provenance

- CNA: Wordfence: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-120518; retrieved 2026-11-07; source updated 2026-11-07

- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-120518; retrieved 2026-11-03; source updated 2026-11-03

- FIRST EPSS: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-120518; retrieved 2026-11-07; source updated Not reported

Revision: e183b1fcc8d8e13888977f0f34059833400955005b642349dcd6eb22745fcbdc

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2026-120518

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