Quick Playground <= 1.3.4 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Arbitrary File Read via 'filename' Parameter
Strategic Overview
- Status
- Patched in 1.3.5
- Affected Plugin
- Quick Playground
- Affected Version
<= 1.3.4- CVSS
- 4.4Medium
- Weakness type
- CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
- CVE
CVE-2026-2500
At a glance
CVE-2026-2500 is a medium-severity Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in the Quick Playground WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 1.3.4. It carries a CVSS score of 4.4 (reachable over the network; high confidentiality impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account at Administrator level or above. The issue is fixed in version 1.3.5; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed June 2026, reported by Pablo Santiago.
Vulnerability Overview
The Quick Playground plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Path Traversal in all versions up to, and including, 1.3.4. This is due to the `qckply_data()` function passing the user-supplied `filename` POST parameter directly to `file_get_contents()` without any validation, sanitization, or path restriction. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Administrator-level access and above, to read arbitrary files on the server, such as `wp-config.php` or `/etc/passwd`, which can contain sensitive information. Note: This vulnerability is only exploitable when the site has been synced with WordPress Playground (the `is_qckply_clone` option is set) or when running on `playground.wordpress.net`.
Technical Analysis
The vector marks this flaw as remotely reachable over the network, 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')
Quick Playground <= 1.3.4 carries this weakness at qckply_data(), and reaching it takes an account at Administrator 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 Quick Playground the fix is 1.3.5: builds <= 1.3.4 are affected, anything from 1.3.5 onward is not.
Remediation
Update to version 1.3.5, or a newer patched version
How does WordSec protect against this?
An attacker needs Administrator 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: Quick Playground 1.3.5 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.
- Firewall
- Alerts
External References
Related records
Same weakness class
Other vulnerabilities in Quick Playground
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