CVE-2026-3835 (GCVE-0-2026-3835)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-08-13 05:29 – Updated: 2026-08-13 05:29
VLAI
Title
Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files <= 2.8.8.8 - Unauthenticated Protected File Access
Summary
The Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access of protected files due to insufficient token validation in the `get_advance_file_by_url()` method in all versions up to, and including, 2.8.8.8 The method uses a SQL `LIKE` operator for token lookup without escaping wildcard characters via `$wpdb->esc_like()`. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to bypass the private token requirement by supplying SQL wildcard characters (such as `%`) as the token value, matching any record in the plugin's file table and downloading any protected file.
Severity
5.3 (Medium)
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
CWE
Assigner
References
Impacted products
Credits
Lucas Montes (NiRoX)
Show details on NVD website
To clipboard 

{
  "containers": {
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "product": "Prevent Direct Access \u2013 Protect WordPress Files",
          "vendor": "buildwps",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "2.8.8.8",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "semver"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "credits": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "type": "finder",
          "value": "Lucas Montes (NiRoX)"
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "The Prevent Direct Access \u2013 Protect WordPress Files plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access of protected files due to insufficient token validation in the `get_advance_file_by_url()` method in all versions up to, and including, 2.8.8.8 The method uses a SQL `LIKE` operator for token lookup without escaping wildcard characters via `$wpdb-\u003eesc_like()`. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to bypass the private token requirement by supplying SQL wildcard characters (such as `%`) as the token value, matching any record in the plugin\u0027s file table and downloading any protected file."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "baseScore": 5.3,
            "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N",
            "version": "3.1"
          }
        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "cweId": "CWE-285",
              "description": "CWE-285 Improper Authorization",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-08-13T05:29:19.702Z",
        "orgId": "b15e7b5b-3da4-40ae-a43c-f7aa60e62599",
        "shortName": "Wordfence"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "url": "https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/c39d16f1-ce80-402c-8a36-f9070dc5f9c9?source=cve"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/prevent-direct-access/trunk/includes/repository.php#L221"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/prevent-direct-access/tags/2.8.8.4/includes/repository.php#L221"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/prevent-direct-access/trunk/download.php#L377"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://wordpress.org/plugins/prevent-direct-access/"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?reponame=\u0026new=3637502%40prevent-direct-access%2Ftags%2F2.8.8.9\u0026old=3524320%40prevent-direct-access%2Ftags%2F2.8.8.8"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3637499/prevent-direct-access/trunk/includes/repository.php"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?old_path=%2Fprevent-direct-access/tags/2.8.8.8\u0026new_path=%2Fprevent-direct-access/tags/2.8.8.9"
        }
      ],
      "timeline": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "time": "2026-03-09T14:37:56.000Z",
          "value": "Vendor Notified"
        },
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "time": "2026-08-12T17:04:24.000Z",
          "value": "Disclosed"
        }
      ],
      "title": "Prevent Direct Access \u2013 Protect WordPress Files \u003c= 2.8.8.8 - Unauthenticated Protected File Access"
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "b15e7b5b-3da4-40ae-a43c-f7aa60e62599",
    "assignerShortName": "Wordfence",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-3835",
    "datePublished": "2026-08-13T05:29:19.702Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-03-09T14:22:47.517Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-08-13T05:29:19.702Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "nvd": "{\"cve\":{\"id\":\"CVE-2026-3835\",\"sourceIdentifier\":\"security@wordfence.com\",\"published\":\"2026-08-13T06:17:38.353\",\"lastModified\":\"2026-08-13T06:17:38.353\",\"vulnStatus\":\"Received\",\"cveTags\":[],\"descriptions\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"The Prevent Direct Access \u2013 Protect WordPress Files plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access of protected files due to insufficient token validation in the `get_advance_file_by_url()` method in all versions up to, and including, 2.8.8.8 The method uses a SQL `LIKE` operator for token lookup without escaping wildcard characters via `$wpdb-\u003eesc_like()`. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to bypass the private token requirement by supplying SQL wildcard characters (such as `%`) as the token value, matching any record in the plugin\u0027s file table and downloading any protected file.\"}],\"affected\":[{\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\",\"affectedData\":[{\"vendor\":\"buildwps\",\"product\":\"Prevent Direct Access \u2013 Protect WordPress Files\",\"defaultStatus\":\"unaffected\",\"versions\":[{\"version\":\"0\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"2.8.8.8\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"affected\"}]}]}],\"metrics\":{\"cvssMetricV31\":[{\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\",\"type\":\"Primary\",\"cvssData\":{\"version\":\"3.1\",\"vectorString\":\"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N\",\"baseScore\":5.3,\"baseSeverity\":\"MEDIUM\",\"attackVector\":\"NETWORK\",\"attackComplexity\":\"LOW\",\"privilegesRequired\":\"NONE\",\"userInteraction\":\"NONE\",\"scope\":\"UNCHANGED\",\"confidentialityImpact\":\"LOW\",\"integrityImpact\":\"NONE\",\"availabilityImpact\":\"NONE\"},\"exploitabilityScore\":3.9,\"impactScore\":1.4}]},\"weaknesses\":[{\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\",\"type\":\"Primary\",\"description\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"CWE-285\"}]}],\"references\":[{\"url\":\"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/prevent-direct-access/tags/2.8.8.4/includes/repository.php#L221\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"},{\"url\":\"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/prevent-direct-access/trunk/download.php#L377\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"},{\"url\":\"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/prevent-direct-access/trunk/includes/repository.php#L221\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"},{\"url\":\"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3637499/prevent-direct-access/trunk/includes/repository.php\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"},{\"url\":\"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?old_path=%2Fprevent-direct-access/tags/2.8.8.8\u0026new_path=%2Fprevent-direct-access/tags/2.8.8.9\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"},{\"url\":\"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?reponame=\u0026new=3637502%40prevent-direct-access%2Ftags%2F2.8.8.9\u0026old=3524320%40prevent-direct-access%2Ftags%2F2.8.8.8\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"},{\"url\":\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/prevent-direct-access/\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"},{\"url\":\"https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/c39d16f1-ce80-402c-8a36-f9070dc5f9c9?source=cve\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"}]}}"
  }
}



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