Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
Network-reachable authenticated action (PR:L for a Subscriber), low complexity, no user interaction; deleting files outside the plugin (e.g. wp-config.php) justifies S:C and A:H with no confidentiality or integrity impact.
Primary rating from Vendor (Patchstack).
CVSS VectorVendor: Patchstack
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
Subscriber Arbitrary File Deletion in Kali Forms <= 2.4.18 versions.
AnalysisAI
Arbitrary file deletion in the Kali Forms WordPress plugin (versions 2.4.18 and earlier) lets a low-privileged authenticated user - as low as a Subscriber - delete arbitrary files on the server via path traversal. On sites that allow open registration, an attacker can self-provision an account and remove critical files such as wp-config.php, knocking the site offline or forcing it into a fresh-install state. Reported by Patchstack; no public exploit identified at time of analysis and not listed in CISA KEV.
Technical ContextAI
Kali Forms is a drag-and-drop form-builder plugin for WordPress (vendor namespace wp_chill / WP Chill) used to create contact, subscription, and payment forms. The root cause is CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory / Path Traversal): a file-handling routine - typically a form attachment/upload deletion handler exposed through admin-ajax.php or the WordPress REST API - accepts a user-controlled filename or path and passes it to a filesystem delete operation without normalizing or constraining it to the intended directory. By supplying traversal sequences (e.g. ../../), the caller escapes the plugin's upload directory and deletes files anywhere the PHP/web-server process can write, including WordPress core files. The CPE cpe:2.3:a:wp_chill:kali_forms:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* confirms all versions up to and including 2.4.18 are in scope.
RemediationAI
Update Kali Forms to the first fixed release above 2.4.18 as published by the vendor; the exact patched version is not included in the provided data, so consult the Patchstack advisory (https://patchstack.com/database/wordpress/plugin/kali-forms/vulnerability/wordpress-kali-forms-plugin-2-4-18-arbitrary-file-deletion-vulnerability) and the plugin changelog on WordPress.org to confirm the fixed version before deploying. Until patched, disable open user registration (Settings > General > uncheck 'Anyone can register') so untrusted accounts cannot reach the vulnerable authenticated action - trade-off: blocks legitimate self-service signup. As additional compensating controls, apply a WAF/virtual patch (Patchstack offers virtual patching) to block path-traversal payloads (../ sequences) sent to admin-ajax.php and REST routes; deactivate the Kali Forms plugin entirely if it is not business-critical (trade-off: forms stop working); and enforce least-privilege filesystem permissions for the web-server/PHP user so core files cannot be deleted, while keeping tested backups to recover from any file destruction.
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Same weakness CWE-22 – Path Traversal
View allSame technique Path Traversal
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External POC / Exploit Code
Leaving vuln.today
EUVD-2026-48195
GHSA-f785-j866-927f