CVE-2026-85097 in the Bricksforge WordPress plugin is being exploited for unauthenticated remote code execution.
SOCRadar reports that CVE-2026-85097, an unauthenticated remote code execution flaw in the Bricksforge WordPress plugin, is being exploited. The article describes an exploit chain, observed exploitation, payload variations, and automated distributed infrastructure, plus detection and mitigation. Victim counts and payload specifics are not included in the available text.
CVE-2026-85097 is an unauthenticated RCE in the Bricksforge WordPress plugin.
SOCRadar reports observed exploitation, payload variants, and distributed infrastructure.
The write-up also covers detection and mitigation guidance.
The Bricksforge plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthenticated arbitrary file upload (CWE-434) in versions up to and including 3.1.8.9 because an attacker-controlled URL in the temporaryFileUploads parameter is not sufficiently validated during form submission. An unauthenticated attacker can cause a file that passed temporary upload checks to be referenced with a PHP extension and executed by the server. Successful exploitation allows arbitrary PHP code execution and can fully compromise the site (confidentiality, integrity, and availability), with a CVSS 3.1 score of 9.8. WordPress sites running Bricksforge 3.1.8.9 or earlier are affected. No public proof of concept is known, and the issue is not listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Do: Update Bricksforge to a release newer than 3.1.8.9 as soon as the vendor publishes a fix; the advisory data does not name a patched version. Until then, deactivate the plugin or otherwise block unauthenticated access to its form handling, and review the temporary and public upload directories for unexpected PHP files.
CVE-2026-85097: Bricksforge WordPress Plugin Flaw Exploited for Unauthenticated RCE
Oct 12, 2026
9 Mins Read
Oct 13, 2026
Summarize with:
CVE-2026-85097: Bricksforge WordPress Plugin Flaw Exploited for Unauthenticated RCE
Threat actors are actively exploiting CVE-2026-85097, a maximum-severity (CVSS 10.0) vulnerability in the Bricksforge plugin for WordPress. The flaw lets unauthenticated attackers upload and execute arbitrary PHP code on vulnerable sites, resulting in remote code execution (RCE).
Patchstack first observed exploitation attempts on October 7, 2026, at 21:47 UTC. Bricksforge versions up to and including 3.1.8.9 are affected, and the issue is fixed in version 3.1.8.10.
Key Takeaways
Active exploitation: Patchstack telemetry recorded exploitation attempts against CVE-2026-85097 beginning October 7, 2026
No authentication required: Attackers chain an unauthenticated nonce endpoint, a GIF/PHP polyglot upload and a crafted form submission to execute PHP code
Root cause: Bricksforge does not validate the url field inside the temporaryFileUploads parameter at form submission
Automated activity: 63 unique source IPs were recorded, with patterns pointing to automated exploitation over distributed infrastructure
Fix available: Update to Bricksforge 3.1.8.10 or later; the vendor’s current release is 4.0.1
CVE-2026-85097 at a Glance
Attribute
Detail
CVE ID
CVE-2026-85097
CVSS score
10.0 (Critical)
Product
Bricksforge plugin for WordPress
Vulnerability type
Unauthenticated arbitrary file upload leading to RCE
Bricksforge is a WordPress plugin that extends Bricks Builder, a visual website-building tool for WordPress. It adds features such as advanced forms (Pro Forms), animations, custom interactions, dynamic data management and backend customization. The vulnerable code path sits in the Pro Forms file upload handling.
Details of Bricksforge, CVE-2026-85097 (SOCRadar Vulnerability Intelligence)
How the CVE-2026-85097 Exploit Chain Works
Bricksforge validates a file’s MIME type at initial upload, then trusts the client-supplied file metadata when the form is later submitted.
Because the url field inside the temporaryFileUploads parameter is not validated, an attacker can redirect a validated image to a PHP destination in four steps:
Request a valid nonce from the unauthenticated bricksforge_regenerate_nonce AJAX endpoint
Upload a GIF/PHP polyglot, a valid image that also contains PHP code, which passes the MIME check and lands in the temporary upload directory
Submit a form in which the file path points to the validated image while the url ends in a PHP extension
Bricksforge places the file’s contents at the PHP location, and the server executes the embedded code when that file is requested
The Wordfence advisory describes the same chain. Successful exploitation gives the attacker arbitrary PHP execution on the server, which can be used to deploy web shells, modify site content, read sensitive data and establish persistent access.
All but one of the exploitation attempts Patchstack captured targeted the Bricksforge REST API form submission endpoint, POST /wp-json/bricksforge/v1/form_submit. The remaining request hit /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php with the bricksforge_form_submit action. Every request carried a crafted temporaryFileUploads parameter, as in this normalized representative payload:
The key signature is the mismatch between an image server-side path and a PHP destination URL. In 95% of captured requests, the server-side path ended in .gif or .png. Most payloads referenced the Bricksforge temporary directory, while some used destination filenames matching login_admin_*.php to place PHP files in the regular WordPress uploads directory, such as /wp-content/uploads/2026/10/.
Payload Variations
Attackers are probing for ways around extension filtering:
Alternative PHP extensions:.php5, .php7, .php8, .phtml, .pht, .phtm and .phps
Case manipulation:.PHP, .Php, .pHp and .PHTML
Encoded extensions: URL-encoded and double-encoded forms such as %2ephp, .%70hp and .%2570%2568%2570
Modified metadata: Altered or missing path, name, originalFilename and url fields
Automated, Distributed Infrastructure
Two clusters stand out. In the first, 44 IPs sent 56 requests with identical payloads within seconds of each other. In the second, three IPs tested 25 variations of PHP extensions and encodings against the same temporary file. Patchstack assesses both patterns as automated exploitation over rotating proxies or distributed infrastructure, and notes they do not on their own attribute the activity to a single threat actor.
The activity came from 63 unique source IPs spanning datacenter servers, cloud providers, VPN and proxy services, and residential or fixed-line ISP connections. The six most active addresses accounted for about 46% of all requests:
Source IP
Network
177.75.57[.]20
EXPLORERNET (Brazilian fixed-line ISP)
23.97.62[.]146
Microsoft Azure
84.247.60[.]125
HostRoyale
38.154.185[.]97
B2 Net Solutions
150.109.16[.]166
Tencent
153.75.90[.]146
Cloudzy (datacenter)
Affected and Fixed Bricksforge Versions
Status
Version
Affected
3.1.8.9 and earlier
Fixed
3.1.8.10
Current release
4.0.1 (October 8, 2026)
The Bricksforge changelog lists a security fix for the Pro Forms file upload in version 4.0.1. The vendor states the issue affects every site with Pro Forms active, including sites whose forms use no upload fields.
How to Detect CVE-2026-85097 Exploitation
Review HTTP and application logs for the following indicators:
Requests to /wp-json/bricksforge/v1/form_submit that contain a temporaryFileUploads parameter
Upload metadata pairing an image path (.gif, .png) with a PHP-related destination URL
Calls to the bricksforge_regenerate_nonce AJAX action followed by an upload and a form submission
Repeated form submissions cycling through file extensions, encodings or capitalization
Unexpected PHP files in /wp-content/uploads/bricksforge/tmp/ or any other uploads directory, especially files named login_admin_*.php
HTTP requests to newly created PHP files in upload directories
Traffic from the source IPs listed above
If a site ran a vulnerable version without protection, review historical logs and the host for unexpected PHP files, unusual application activity and unauthorized changes.
Mitigation
Update immediately: Upgrade Bricksforge to version 3.1.8.10 or later, preferably the current 4.0.1 release
Hunt for compromise: Updating closes the vulnerability but does not remove files already planted; check upload directories for PHP files and review access logs for the indicators above
Block at the edge: Where an immediate update is not possible, apply a WAF or virtual patching rule that blocks form submissions pairing image paths with PHP destination URLs
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2026-85097?
CVE-2026-85097 is a CVSS 10.0 unauthenticated arbitrary file upload vulnerability in the Bricksforge plugin for WordPress. It lets attackers upload and execute PHP code on vulnerable sites, resulting in remote code execution.
Is CVE-2026-85097 being exploited in the wild?
Yes. Patchstack first observed exploitation attempts on October 7, 2026, at 21:47 UTC, and recorded activity from 63 unique source IPs.
Which Bricksforge versions are affected by CVE-2026-85097?
Bricksforge versions 3.1.8.9 and earlier are affected.
Which Bricksforge version fixes CVE-2026-85097?
The vulnerability is fixed in version 3.1.8.10. The current release is 4.0.1, published on October 8, 2026.
Does exploitation require authentication?
No. Attackers obtain a valid nonce from the unauthenticated bricksforge_regenerate_nonce AJAX endpoint, so no account or login is needed.
How can I tell if my site was targeted?
Check logs for requests to /wp-json/bricksforge/v1/form_submit containing a temporaryFileUploads parameter, and look for unexpected PHP files in /wp-content/uploads/bricksforge/tmp/ or files named login_admin_*.php in upload directories.
Is the exploitation attributed to a specific threat actor?
No. Patchstack links the activity to automated exploitation over rotating proxies or distributed infrastructure, without attributing it to a single threat actor.
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