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CVE-2026-12227 – Unauthenticated Local File Inclusion / RCE – Visual Composer Website Builder ≤ 45.1

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Summary

CVE-2026-12227 is a critical Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the Visual Composer Website Builder plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 45.16.0. The flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to include and execute arbitrary PHP files on the server via a plugin parameter, resulting in full remote code execution. The issue has been assigned a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (Critical).

Technical details

  • Root cause: the plugin fails to properly validate or sanitize the vcv-template request parameter before using it to build a file path that is passed to a PHP include/require statement (CWE-98).
  • Trigger condition: an attacker sends a crafted, unauthenticated HTTP request to a WordPress site running the vulnerable plugin, supplying a manipulated vcv-template value that points to an arbitrary file on the server.
  • Attack vector: Network — no authentication or user interaction is required, and the vulnerable endpoint is reachable directly over HTTP/HTTPS.
  • Impact: because the included file is executed as PHP, an attacker can achieve arbitrary code execution — for example by including a previously uploaded "safe" file (such as an image) that contains embedded PHP code, or by including other sensitive server files to bypass access controls or disclose data. Full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability is possible.

Affected software

  • Visual Composer Website Builder (WordPress plugin) — all versions up to and including 45.16.0.

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 Visual Composer Website Builder to version 45.16.1 or later, which resolves the file-inclusion issue.
  • If immediate patching is not possible: restrict or block external access to the affected plugin endpoint at the web server or WAF layer, disable or deactivate the Visual Composer plugin until it can be updated, and audit uploaded media/files for embedded PHP payloads that could be leveraged via file-inclusion.
  • Following remediation, review server and access logs for requests containing manipulated vcv-template parameter values as an indicator of attempted exploitation.

References

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