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CVE-2026-0740 – Unauthenticated Arbitrary File Upload / RCE – Ninja Forms File Uploads plugin ≤ 3.3.

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Summary

CVE-2026-0740 is a critical unauthenticated arbitrary file upload vulnerability in the Ninja Forms – File Uploads extension for WordPress, affecting versions up to and including 3.3.26. Successful exploitation allows an attacker with no authentication to write arbitrary files, including PHP webshells, to the web server, leading to remote code execution and full site compromise. The flaw carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (Critical) and has been observed under active exploitation in the wild.

Technical details

  • Root cause: the NF_FU_AJAX_Controllers_Uploads::handle_upload function validates the file type of the uploaded source filename but fails to validate the destination filename/path, allowing the intended file-extension allowlist to be bypassed.
  • Trigger conditions: the targeted site must have a Ninja Forms form containing a file upload field powered by the File Uploads extension.
  • Attack vector: unauthenticated, network-based exploitation via a crafted multipart/form-data POST request to the WordPress admin-ajax.php endpoint, using the plugin’s own AJAX actions to obtain an upload nonce and then submit a disguised malicious file.
  • Impact: arbitrary file write leading to remote code execution, allowing an attacker to plant and execute a PHP webshell and fully compromise the affected server.

Affected software

  • Ninja Forms – File Uploads (WordPress plugin/extension): all versions up to and including 3.3.26
  • Version 3.3.25 contains only a partial fix and remains exploitable

Severity

  • CVSS v3.1 Base Score: 9.8 (Critical)
  • Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Mitigation and recommended actions

  • Immediate: upgrade Ninja Forms – File Uploads to version 3.3.27 or later, which fully resolves the vulnerability. Confirm the update was actually applied, since this is a premium extension and updates do not always flow through the standard WordPress.org update pipeline.
  • If immediate patching is not possible: disable or remove any Ninja Forms with file upload fields until patched, review the WordPress uploads directory for unexpected executable files (e.g., unexpected .php files), monitor for suspicious multipart POST requests to admin-ajax.php, and enable web application firewall rules covering this vulnerability.

How IONIX identifies potentially affected assets

IONIX matches the following signals against data already collected when it crawled the asset; identifying the technology sends no request beyond that crawl.

  • Raw response body: /wp-content/plugins/ninja-forms/, /wp-content/plugins/ninja-forms-uploads/

References

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How IONIX’s External Exposure Management Platform Detects and Validates
Zero-Days to Shrink MTTR

1

Map your entire attack surface (continously)

IONIX uses multi-factor discovery methods, including DNS analysis, certificate mapping, metadata inspection, and more, to automatically map every internet-facing asset across your environment. This includes cloud instances, third-party platforms, shadow IT, and even forgotten infrastructure that traditional tools miss.

2

Monitor for new CVEs

Dozens of threat intel feeds using agentic technology are continuously analyzed to detect the appearance of proof-of-concept code, exploit kits, and indicators of active targeting. IONIX goes further by applying AI to proactively evaluate whether emerging vulnerabilities are likely to be exploited, even before PoCs go public.

3

Identify Potential External Exposures

Not all CVEs matter. IONIX filters vulnerabilities by asking attacker-centric questions: Can it be reached from the internet? Does it require authentication? Is it being exploited in the wild? This dramatically reduces noise and focuses teams on threats that can actually be weaponized.

4

Create Safe, Scalable Exploit Validations

IONIX transforms real-world PoCs into safe, non-intrusive test payloads that can be run in production environments without disruption. These simulations are precisely targeted to the systems that are vulnerable, ensuring rapid validation without unnecessary load.

5

Execute Exploit Validations

By combining context about software stack, versioning, exposure status, and reachability, IONIX ensures that only the right payloads are executed against the right assets, maximizing efficiency and minimizing risk.

6

Drive Fast and Actionable Remediation

Results are routed through integrations with ticketing, SOAR, and SIEM tools. Issues are written in plain language, bundled into remediation clusters, and prioritized based on asset criticality, exploitability, and blast radius. This shortens mean time to remediation (MTTR) and empowers teams to act with confidence.

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  • Mapping of all Assets with this Technology
  • Identification of potentially exposed assets to this CVE
  • Confirmation of verified exploitable assets
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