[Core] port PR-22525: fix user plugins.xml path issue

 - Fixed user rename plugins.xml cannot be found issue

 - CVS-131048

src/inference/src/core.cpp

@@ -11,20 +11,24 @@
 #include "openvino/core/so_extension.hpp"
 #include "openvino/runtime/device_id_parser.hpp"
 #include "openvino/runtime/iremote_context.hpp"
+#include "openvino/util/common_util.hpp"
 #include "openvino/util/file_util.hpp"
 
 namespace ov {
 
 std::string find_plugins_xml(const std::string& xml_file) {
     std::string xml_file_name = xml_file;
     if (xml_file_name.empty()) {
-        // Default plugin xml file name.
+        // Default plugin xml file name, will search in OV folder.
         xml_file_name = "plugins.xml";
     } else {
-        // Exclude relative path
-        const auto relative_path_symbol = std::string("..") + util::FileTraits<char>().file_separator;
-        if (xml_file_name.find(relative_path_symbol) != xml_file_name.npos) {
-            OPENVINO_THROW("Unsupport plugin xml relative path: ", xml_file_name.c_str());
+        // User can set any path for plugins xml file but need guarantee security issue if apply file path out of OV
+        // folder.
+        // If the xml file exists or file path contains file separator, return file path;
+        // Else search it in OV folder with no restriction on file name and extension.
+        if (ov::util::file_exists(xml_file_name) ||
+            xml_file_name.find(util::FileTraits<char>().file_separator) != xml_file_name.npos) {
+            return xml_file_name;
         }
     }
     const auto ov_library_path = ov::util::get_ov_lib_path();

src/inference/tests/functional/ov_core_test.cpp

@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2018-2024 Intel Corporation
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+//
+
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+
+#include <fstream>
+
+#include "common_test_utils/common_utils.hpp"
+#include "common_test_utils/file_utils.hpp"
+#include "openvino/runtime/core.hpp"
+#include "openvino/util/file_util.hpp"
+
+#ifndef OPENVINO_STATIC_LIBRARY
+
+static void create_plugin_xml(const std::string& file_name) {
+    std::ofstream file(file_name);
+
+    file << "<ie><plugins><plugin location=\"";
+    file << ov::test::utils::getExecutableDirectory();
+    file << ov::util::FileTraits<char>::file_separator;
+    file << ov::util::FileTraits<char>::library_prefix();
+    file << "mock_engine";
+    file << OV_BUILD_POSTFIX;
+    file << ov::util::FileTraits<char>::dot_symbol;
+    file << ov::util::FileTraits<char>::library_ext();
+    file << "\" name=\"1\"></plugin></plugins></ie>";
+    file.flush();
+    file.close();
+}
+
+static void remove_plugin_xml(const std::string& file_name) {
+    ov::test::utils::removeFile(file_name);
+}
+
+TEST(CoreBaseTest, LoadPluginXML) {
+    std::string xml_file_name = "test_plugin.xml";
+    std::string xml_file_path =
+        ov::test::utils::getOpenvinoLibDirectory() + ov::util::FileTraits<char>::file_separator + xml_file_name;
+    create_plugin_xml(xml_file_path);
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(ov::Core core(xml_file_name));
+    remove_plugin_xml(xml_file_path);
+}
+
+TEST(CoreBaseTest, LoadPluginDifferentXMLExtension) {
+    std::string xml_file_name = "test_plugin.test";
+    std::string xml_file_path =
+        ov::test::utils::getOpenvinoLibDirectory() + ov::util::FileTraits<char>::file_separator + xml_file_name;
+    create_plugin_xml(xml_file_path);
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(ov::Core core(xml_file_name));
+    remove_plugin_xml(xml_file_path);
+}
+
+TEST(CoreBaseTest, LoadAbsoluteOVPathPluginXML) {
+    std::string xml_file_name = "test_plugin.xml";
+    std::string xml_file_path =
+        ov::test::utils::getOpenvinoLibDirectory() + ov::util::FileTraits<char>::file_separator + xml_file_name;
+    create_plugin_xml(xml_file_path);
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(ov::Core core(xml_file_path));
+    remove_plugin_xml(xml_file_path);
+}
+
+TEST(CoreBaseTest, LoadAbsoluteCWPathPluginXML) {
+    std::string xml_file_name = "test_plugin.xml";
+    std::string xml_file_path =
+        ov::test::utils::getCurrentWorkingDir() + ov::util::FileTraits<char>::file_separator + xml_file_name;
+    create_plugin_xml(xml_file_path);
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(ov::Core core(xml_file_path));
+    remove_plugin_xml(xml_file_path);
+}
+
+TEST(CoreBaseTest, LoadRelativeCWPathPluginXML) {
+    std::string xml_file_name = "test_plugin.xml";
+    std::string xml_file_path =
+        ov::test::utils::getCurrentWorkingDir() + ov::util::FileTraits<char>::file_separator + xml_file_name;
+    create_plugin_xml(xml_file_path);
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(ov::Core core(xml_file_name));
+    remove_plugin_xml(xml_file_path);
+}
+
+#endif