CVE-2026-16567

Document Embedder – let visitors read files without downloading < 2.3.1 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary Document Download

2026-08-28 00:00
Vaibhav Narkhede

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 2.3.1
Affected Plugin
Document Embedder – let visitors read files without downloading
Affected Version
< 2.3.1
CVSS
7.5High
Weakness type
CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CVE
CVE-2026-16567
View all Document Embedder – let visitors read files without downloading vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2026-16567 is a high-severity Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in the Document Embedder WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 2.3.1. It carries a CVSS score of 7.5 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality impact). Exploitation requires no authentication. The issue is fixed in version 2.3.1; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed August 2026, reported by Vaibhav Narkhede.

Vulnerability Overview

The Document Embedder – let visitors read files without downloading plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Arbitrary Document Download in all versions up to 2.3.1. This is due to insufficient strength of document tokens. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary documents.

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 privileges on the target site, and no interaction from a victim user. A successful exploit has high impact on confidentiality.

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

Reaching this weakness in Document Embedder < 2.3.1 takes no account at all. 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 Document Embedder the fix is 2.3.1: builds < 2.3.1 are affected, anything from 2.3.1 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 2.3.1, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

Requests carrying this pattern arrive without a session, so nothing upstream of the firewall gets a chance to reject them: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Document Embedder 2.3.1 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Firewall
  • Login Security
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-16567https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/e5b8181e-a268-4952-a113-d8daab52500chttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-16567

Related records

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