CVERadar
HIGH · CVSS 3.1 8.1CISA KEV · added 2026-11-03EPSS 0.60% (p49)Threat level 56

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

WordPress · WordPress Core · NVD published 2026-10-31 · posted 2026-11-04 · last modified 2026-11-02

CVE-2026-119977 at a glance

CVE-2026-119977 is a high-severity TOCTOU Race vulnerability in WordPress Core, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1. NVD published it on 2026-10-31 and classifies the weakness as CWE-367. CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-11-03; the federal remediation due date is 2026-11-06. FIRST EPSS puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 0.60% (percentile 48.7, scored 2026-11-03). NVD does not list a fixed version, so the vendor advisory is the reference for the fix. CVERadar maps 2 MITRE ATT&CK techniques across Execution and Initial Access, inferred from the CWE and the description. Its CVERadar threat level is 56/100.

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.

WeaknessCWE-367 definition
CVSS vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (source: Wordfence)
CISA due date2026-11-06 (for US federal agencies under BOD; a good deadline for everyone)
ATT&CK tacticsInitial Access → Execution

CVERadar report: CVE-2026-119977: WordPress Core flaw exploited in the wild, what we know

What this means for a small business

CISA added CVE-2026-119977 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-11-03. A KEV listing means CISA has evidence that attackers are using the flaw against real systems, not just that it could be used.

If your business runs WordPress Core, put this at the top of the patch list. CISA gave US federal agencies until 2026-11-06 to deal with it, and that is a sensible deadline for a small business too.

  • Patch. Install the latest update from WordPress. NVD does not list a fixed version, so the vendor advisory linked on this page is the reference for which release closes it.
  • If you cannot patch yet. Follow CISA's required action: 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.
  • Check your exposure. Find out whether WordPress Core can be reached from the internet, for example a VPN portal, an admin login page or a file-transfer site. Your firewall's port-forwarding rules and your IT provider's list of public-facing systems are the quickest places to look. Exposed copies come first.
  • When to call IT support. Call your IT support provider now if you run WordPress Core and cannot confirm it is updated, if it was reachable from the internet before you patched it, or if you notice accounts, sign-ins or files you do not recognise. The last two can mean the system was already hit, and checking that properly takes someone who can read the logs.

Exposed systems like WordPress Core are the first ones attackers find; LayerLogix attack surface management tracks what you have online.

Built from the CISA KEV entry and the NVD record for CVE-2026-119977; nothing here goes beyond those sources.

Exploitation evidence

First exploit evidence seen: 2026-11-03 (earliest date across the sources below).

Exploited in the wild

Sources: CISA KEV.

Defend the Chain

The attack chain for CVE-2026-119977 laid across the MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise tactics. Solid cards come from the MITRE CTID KEV mappings; dashed cards are inferred by CVERadar from the CWE or description. Correct defences are real ATT&CK mitigations for that technique.

Threat level 56/100
Defender level 1 · 0 XP
Chain links broken: 0/2

Reconnaissance

Resource Development

Initial Access

Execution

Persistence

Privilege Escalation

Stealth

Defense Impairment

Credential Access

Discovery

Lateral Movement

Collection

Command and Control

Exfiltration

Impact

Pick a red technique card on the board, then choose the defence that stops it.

Defend against T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Inferred

Inferred from description keywords

Patches, mitigations and detection

CISA required action

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. (source: CISA KEV)

Fixed versions

NVD does not list a fixed version for this CVE. Use the vendor advisory below.

Derived from the NVD CPE configuration (versionEndExcluding / versionEndIncluding). Always confirm with the vendor advisory.

Vendor advisories and patches

MITRE ATT&CK mitigations for this chain

  • M1048 Application Isolation and Sandboxing (for T1190, T1203) : Application isolation will limit what other processes and system features the exploited target can access.
  • M1037 Filter Network Traffic (for T1190) : Restrict outbound network traffic from public-facing servers to prevent unauthorized connections from initiating communications with attacker-controlled infrastructure. While this may not prevent the initial exploitation, it limits the attacker's ability to verify and control the compromised server post-exploit, reduci
  • M1030 Network Segmentation (for T1190) : Segment externally facing servers and services from the rest of the network with a DMZ or on separate hosting infrastructure.
  • M1016 Vulnerability Scanning (for T1190) : Regularly scan externally facing systems for vulnerabilities and establish procedures to rapidly patch systems when critical vulnerabilities are discovered through scanning and through public disclosure.
  • M1026 Privileged Account Management (for T1190) : Use least privilege for service accounts will limit what permissions the exploited process gets on the rest of the system.
  • M1050 Exploit Protection (for T1190, T1203) : Web Application Firewalls may be used to limit exposure of applications to prevent exploit traffic from reaching the application.
  • M1035 Limit Access to Resource Over Network (for T1190) : Ensure that all publicly exposed services are actually intended to be so, and restrict access to any that should only be available internally.
  • M1051 Update Software (for T1190, T1203) : Update software regularly by employing patch management for externally exposed applications.

Detection Generic guidance

  • Initial Access: Alert on unusual requests to the affected service (odd paths, oversized payloads, exploit strings) in WAF, reverse-proxy and application logs.
  • Execution: Watch for the service process spawning shells or script interpreters (cmd.exe, powershell, sh, bash, python) via EDR process-tree rules.

Response checklist Generic guidance

  1. Inventory: find every instance of the affected product and version (include internet-facing and forgotten ones).
  2. Patch or mitigate per the vendor advisory; if you cannot patch, remove internet exposure or apply the vendor workaround.
  3. Assume compromise if the system was exposed before patching: hunt for the indicators in the advisory and review logs back to the disclosure date.
  4. Rotate credentials and secrets stored on or used by the affected system if compromise cannot be ruled out.

Sources