CVE-2026-16616

Simple File List <= 6.3.11 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary File Read

2026-08-21 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Unpatched
Affected Plugin: Simple File List
Affected Version: <= 6.3.11
CVSS: 7.5High
Weakness type: CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CVE: CVE-2026-16616

View all Simple File List vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2026-16616 is a high-severity Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in the Simple File List WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 6.3.11. It carries a CVSS score of 7.5 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality impact). Exploitation requires no authentication. No fixed release has been reported yet; treat installations running this software as exposed. Disclosed August 2026, reported by Sanjar Tulkinov.

Vulnerability Overview

The Simple File List plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Arbitrary File Read in all versions up to, and including, 6.3.11. This is due to insufficient validation of a user supplied path. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary files on the server, including sensitive configuration files.

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 Simple File List <= 6.3.11 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. No fixed build of this plugin is recorded for Simple File List yet, so installs running <= 6.3.11 stay exposed until the vendor ships one.

Remediation

No known patch available. Please review the vulnerability's details in depth and employ mitigations based on your organization's risk tolerance. It may be best to uninstall the affected software and find a replacement.

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. No patched version is recorded yet, which is the case where a filtering layer matters most, because there is nothing to update to.

Firewall
Login Security
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-16616 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/c83241b6-a992-47a7-8208-c562b89bff4c https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-16616

Related records

Same weakness class

Other vulnerabilities in Simple File List

CVSS Vector

7.5

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredNone
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityNone

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