CVE-2026-5957

What it is

The EmailKit plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Arbitrary File Read in all versions up to and including 1.6.5. This is due to a flawed path traversal validation in the create_template() method of the CheckForm class, where realpath() is called on the allowed base directory (wp-content/uploads/emailkit/templates/) which may not exist, causing it to return false. In PHP 8.x, strpos($real_path, false) implicitly converts false to an empty string, and strpos() with an empty needle always returns 0, causing the check strpos(...) !== 0 to evaluate to false and bypassing the path validation entirely. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Author-level access and above, to read arbitrary files from the server, including sensitive files such as wp-config.php, by supplying an absolute path to the emailkit-editor-template REST API parameter.

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited over the network with a low-privilege account. High risk of data exposure.

Exploit odds

0.6% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

No patch or advisory is linked yet. Look at mitigations or restrict exposure.

Timeline

1. 2026-05-05 04:16 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-06-17 10:59 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 0.6% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: 6.5 MEDIUM (CVSS).
• Fix: none linked yet, which raises it.

Details

Published

2026-05-05 04:16 UTC

Last modified

2026-06-17 10:59 UTC

Exploit probability

0.6% · EPSS, next 30 days

Weakness

CWE-22 · Path traversal

Record status

Deferred

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 6.5

Attack vector

Network

Complexity

Low

Privileges needed

Low

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

None

Availability

None

Is it in your code?

Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.

Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2026-5957.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2026-5957. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.

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