CVE-2025-11738: Media Library Assistant Information Disclosure

CVE-2025-11738 Overview

CVE-2025-11738 is a limited file read vulnerability in the Media Library Assistant plugin for WordPress. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 3.29. The vulnerable code resides in the mla-stream-image.php file, which fails to properly restrict file paths supplied by users. Unauthenticated attackers can read the contents of arbitrary .ai, .eps, .pdf, and .ps files on the server. These files can contain sensitive information such as internal documentation, credentials embedded in PDFs, or backup artifacts left in the web root. The issue is categorized under [CWE-73: External Control of File Name or Path].

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can read arbitrary AI, EPS, PDF, and PS files on the server, exposing potentially sensitive content.

Affected Products

Media Library Assistant plugin for WordPress — all versions through 3.29
WordPress sites using the plugin with default configuration
Any hosting environment serving the vulnerable mla-stream-image.php endpoint

Discovery Timeline

2025-10-18 - CVE-2025-11738 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-11738

Vulnerability Analysis

The Media Library Assistant plugin exposes an image-streaming endpoint through mla-stream-image.php. This endpoint accepts a file path parameter used to load and render document previews for formats such as PostScript, Encapsulated PostScript, Adobe Illustrator, and PDF. The plugin passes the attacker-controlled path to file read routines without enforcing that the target resides inside an approved directory. As a result, requests can traverse the filesystem and return the contents of files matching the supported extensions.

Because the endpoint does not require authentication, any remote client capable of reaching the WordPress site can trigger the read. The exposure is limited to files with .ai, .eps, .pdf, or .ps extensions, which narrows the practical impact but still permits disclosure of business documents, internal reports, or configuration exports commonly stored in those formats.

Root Cause

The root cause is external control of a file name or path [CWE-73]. The plugin trusts request input to identify the resource to stream and does not canonicalize the path or validate it against an allowlist of directories inside the media library. This design allows path components that resolve outside the intended media storage location.

Attack Vector

An unauthenticated attacker sends a crafted HTTP request to the mla-stream-image.php endpoint. The request specifies a file path pointing to a target document elsewhere on the server. The plugin returns the file contents in the HTTP response. Exploitation requires no user interaction and no privileges. See the Wordfence Vulnerability Analysis for additional technical detail.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-11738

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to mla-stream-image.php containing path traversal sequences such as ../ or absolute filesystem paths
Unexpected 200 OK responses returning binary payloads for .pdf, .ps, .eps, or .ai files outside the WordPress uploads directory
Repeated unauthenticated hits to the streaming endpoint from a single source IP

Detection Strategies

Review web server access logs for anomalous parameter values on requests targeting mla-stream-image.php
Deploy web application firewall rules that block path traversal patterns and absolute paths in Media Library Assistant request parameters
Alert on unauthenticated requests to the streaming endpoint that return large binary responses

Monitoring Recommendations

Baseline normal traffic patterns for the Media Library Assistant plugin and flag deviations
Correlate WordPress access logs with filesystem audit logs to identify reads of sensitive documents through the web server user
Track outbound data volume from the plugin endpoint to detect bulk file extraction attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-11738

Immediate Actions Required

Update Media Library Assistant to a patched version above 3.29 released after the WordPress plugin repository changesets referenced below
Audit the WordPress uploads directory and adjacent paths for sensitive .pdf, .ps, .eps, or .ai files that may have been exposed
Rotate any credentials or secrets stored in documents that could have been read through the endpoint

Patch Information

The vendor released fixes tracked in the WordPress plugin repository. Review the WordPress Changeset 3379043 and the WordPress Changeset 3379044 for the applied code changes. Apply the plugin update through the WordPress admin dashboard or via WP-CLI.

Workarounds

Disable the Media Library Assistant plugin until the patched version is installed
Block external access to mla-stream-image.php at the web server or WAF layer
Restrict filesystem permissions so the web server user cannot read sensitive files outside the WordPress content directory

bash

# Example NGINX block for the vulnerable endpoint
location ~* /wp-content/plugins/media-library-assistant/includes/mla-stream-image\.php$ {
    deny all;
    return 403;
}

# Update the plugin via WP-CLI once a fixed version is available
wp plugin update media-library-assistant