CVE-2026-19942

Atarim <= 5.1.1 - Authenticated (Author+) Arbitrary File Deletion via '_wp_attached_file' Meta

2026-08-18 16:21
Wordfence PRISM

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 5.1.2
Affected Plugin
Atarim – AI Agency for WordPress: Edit Pages, Fix Code, Update Plugins, SEO & Client Feedback
Affected Version
<= 5.1.1
CVSS
8.1High
Weakness type
CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CVE
CVE-2026-19942
View all Atarim – AI Agency for WordPress: Edit Pages, Fix Code, Update Plugins, SEO & Client Feedback vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2026-19942 is a high-severity Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in the Atarim WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 5.1.1. It carries a CVSS score of 8.1 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high integrity, availability impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account at Author level or above. The issue is fixed in version 5.1.2; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed August 2026, reported by Wordfence PRISM.

Vulnerability Overview

The Atarim – AI Agency for WordPress: Edit Pages, Fix Code, Update Plugins, SEO & Client Feedback plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion due to insufficient file path validation in the AVCF_Abilities_Media::register (replace-media-file execute_callback) function in all versions up to, and including, 5.1.1. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with author-level access and above, to delete arbitrary files on the server, which can easily lead to remote code execution when the right file is deleted (such as wp-config.php). This is exploitable by first using the atarim/update-post-field ability to overwrite the _wp_attached_file meta of an attacker-owned attachment with a directory-traversal path, then invoking atarim/replace-media-file to cause get_attached_file() to resolve and unlink the targeted file.

Technical Analysis

The vector marks this flaw as remotely reachable over the network, with low attack complexity — no special timing or configuration is needed, and no interaction from a victim user. A successful exploit has high impact on integrity, availability.

CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')

Atarim <= 5.1.1 carries this weakness at get_attached_file(), and reaching it takes an account at Author level or above. Path traversal happens when user-controlled text is used to build a filesystem path without being constrained to an intended directory, so sequences like ../ walk the resolved path somewhere else.

Depending on the operation, it means reading files outside the intended folder — wp-config.php being the usual target — or writing to and deleting paths the web server can touch. For Atarim the fix is 5.1.2: builds <= 5.1.1 are affected, anything from 5.1.2 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 5.1.2, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

An attacker needs Author access first, so the firewall sees the attempt as traffic from a logged-in account: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Atarim 5.1.2 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Firewall
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-19942https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/c66a75a3-d420-4f2e-9f61-fe7dc2cb759ehttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-19942

Related records

Vulnerability data © Defiant, Inc., provided under the Wordfence Intelligence T&C