: Frequently used by attackers who have gained a low-level "Subscriber" or "Contributor" account to take over the entire site. Remediation & Current Status WordPress 4.1.31 is obsolete and insecure .
WordPress uses PHPMailer to send password reset emails. An attacker can craft a malicious From name or email address containing extra spaces and command execution syntax. For example: "attacker@site.com -oQ/tmp/ -X/var/www/html/shell.php" .
This is the crown jewel of 4.1.31 exploits. The version of PHPMailer bundled with WordPress 4.1.31 (prior to the silent patching in 4.1.32) contained a critical vulnerability.
Even if the core 4.1.31 files are "patched," they often run outdated plugins that contain known vulnerabilities like arbitrary file uploads. Technical Breakdown: The Risks of Legacy PHP
The "WordPress 4.1.31 exploit" is not a sophisticated nation-state tool. It is a collection of well-documented, easily scriptable vulnerabilities that have been public for nearly a decade. Running this version is akin to leaving your front door not just unlocked, but removed from the hinges.
: The wp_validate_redirect() function did not properly sanitize inputs, allowing attackers to redirect users to malicious external websites.
