CVE-2026-4351
CWE-22Published: April 10, 2026· Updated: Apr 13, 2026
Official Description
The Perfmatters plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file overwrite via path traversal in all versions up to, and including, 2.5.9. This is due to the `PMCS::action_handler()` method processing the bulk action `activate`/`deactivate` handlers without any authorization check or nonce verification. The `$_GET['snippets'][]` values are passed unsanitized to `Snippet::activate()`/`Snippet::deactivate()` which call `Snippet::update()` then `file_put_contents()` with the traversed path. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to overwrite arbitrary files on the server with a fixed PHP docblock content, potentially causing denial of service by corrupting critical files like `.htaccess` or `index.php`.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-4351 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
A successful exploit results in full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 8.1.
A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit exists for CVE-2026-4351. While not yet confirmed in active campaigns, the availability of PoC code increases exploitation risk substantially.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
All References (2)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-22)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2026-4351 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts