CVE-2026-4280 - Breaking News Wp Plugin
CVE-2026-4280
The Breaking News WP plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Local File Inclusion in all versions up to, and including, 1.3. This is due to the brnwp_ajax_form AJAX endpoint lacking both authorization checks and CSRF verification, combined with insufficient path validation when the brnwp_theme option value is passed directly to an include() statement in the brnwp_show_breaking_news_wp() shortcode handler. While sanitize_text_field() is applied to user input, it does not strip directory traversal sequences (../). This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to overwrite the brnwp_theme option with a directory traversal payload (e.g., ../../../../etc/passwd) and subsequently trigger file inclusion of arbitrary files on the server when the shortcode is rendered.
CVE-2026-4280
MEDIUM
CVSS 6.5
Published 2026-04-22
Updated 2026-04-22
AI Risk Elevated (64/100)
Active Exploit: No strong signal
Published Exploit: No public exploit references
Priority: P3 Priority
Severity Band
MEDIUM
CVSS Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Affected Components
1
Reference Links
7
AI Risk Engine
Elevated (64/100)
Exploitability
High
Active Exploitation
No strong signal
Published Exploit Status
No public exploit references
AI Context
Machine-generated threat intelligence
AI
Updated 39 days ago
AI enriched 39 days ago (2026-04-22 21:34 UTC)
Technical Summary
The Breaking News WP plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Local File Inclusion in all versions up to, and including, 1.3. This is due to the brnwp_ajax_form AJAX endpoint lacking both authorization checks and CSRF verification, combined with insufficient path validation when the brnwp_theme option value is passed directly to an include() statement in the brnwp_show_breaking_news_wp() shortcode handler. While sanitize_text_field() is applied to user input, it does not strip directory traversal sequences (../). This makes it possible for authenticated attackers,…
Potential Impact
Severity is MEDIUM (CVSS 6.5). Depending on deployment context, affected components may be exposed to unauthorized actions or data integrity risk.
Exploitability Assessment
Exploitability is assessed as High based on remote code execution potential.
Primary risk drivers: remote code execution potential
Mitigation Recommendations
Validate affected product versions, prioritize patching, and monitor references for vendor remediation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, apply compensating controls and limit exposure of vulnerable surfaces.
Detection & Monitoring
Track authentication anomalies, unexpected file writes, and suspicious plugin API activity around affected components.
Business Impact Lens
AI risk score 64/100 (Elevated, High) with priority P3 Priority. Prioritize remediation where affected components process customer data, admin sessions, or Internet-exposed workflows.
