CVE-2026-16585 (GCVE-0-2026-16585)
Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-07-28 05:39 – Updated: 2026-07-28 16:05
VLAI
EPSS
VEX
Title
Better Messages <= 2.15.19 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Arbitrary File Deletion via Path Traversal via 'file' Parameter
Summary
The Better Messages – Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages & AI Chat Bots plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion due to insufficient file path validation in the delete_sticker function in all versions up to, and including, 2.15.19. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with administrator-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). The prefix check intended to restrict deletion to the uploads directory can be bypassed by crafting a URL that begins with the legitimate uploads base URL but embeds ../ traversal sequences in the path portion, as the normalize_sticker function only applies esc_url_raw(), which does not strip ../ sequences, allowing the traversal payload to be stored verbatim in WordPress options.
Severity
7.2 (High)
SSVC
Exploitation: none
Automatable: no
Technical Impact: total
CISA Coordinator (v2.0.3)
CWE
- CWE-22 - Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
Assigner
References
6 references
Impacted products
1 product
| Vendor | Product | Version | |
|---|---|---|---|
| wordplus | Better Messages – Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages & AI Chat Bots |
Affected:
0 , ≤ 2.15.19
(semver)
|
Credits
{
"containers": {
"adp": [
{
"metrics": [
{
"other": {
"content": {
"id": "CVE-2026-16585",
"options": [
{
"Exploitation": "none"
},
{
"Automatable": "no"
},
{
"Technical Impact": "total"
}
],
"role": "CISA Coordinator",
"timestamp": "2026-07-28T16:04:56.383370Z",
"version": "2.0.3"
},
"type": "ssvc"
}
}
],
"providerMetadata": {
"dateUpdated": "2026-07-28T16:05:04.482Z",
"orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
"shortName": "CISA-ADP"
},
"title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
}
],
"cna": {
"affected": [
{
"defaultStatus": "unaffected",
"product": "Better Messages \u2013 Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages \u0026 AI Chat Bots",
"vendor": "wordplus",
"versions": [
{
"lessThanOrEqual": "2.15.19",
"status": "affected",
"version": "0",
"versionType": "semver"
}
]
}
],
"credits": [
{
"lang": "en",
"type": "finder",
"value": "Wordfence PRISM"
}
],
"descriptions": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "The Better Messages \u2013 Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages \u0026 AI Chat Bots plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion due to insufficient file path validation in the delete_sticker function in all versions up to, and including, 2.15.19. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with administrator-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). The prefix check intended to restrict deletion to the uploads directory can be bypassed by crafting a URL that begins with the legitimate uploads base URL but embeds ../ traversal sequences in the path portion, as the normalize_sticker function only applies esc_url_raw(), which does not strip ../ sequences, allowing the traversal payload to be stored verbatim in WordPress options."
}
],
"metrics": [
{
"cvssV3_1": {
"baseScore": 7.2,
"baseSeverity": "HIGH",
"vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"version": "3.1"
}
}
],
"problemTypes": [
{
"descriptions": [
{
"cweId": "CWE-22",
"description": "CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory (\u0027Path Traversal\u0027)",
"lang": "en",
"type": "CWE"
}
]
}
],
"providerMetadata": {
"dateUpdated": "2026-07-28T05:39:44.828Z",
"orgId": "b15e7b5b-3da4-40ae-a43c-f7aa60e62599",
"shortName": "Wordfence"
},
"references": [
{
"url": "https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/e9274957-7584-4df6-bb2a-d745510f5033?source=cve"
},
{
"url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/bp-better-messages/tags/2.15.19/addons/stickers/rest.php#L285"
},
{
"url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/bp-better-messages/tags/2.15.19/addons/stickers/rest.php#L287"
},
{
"url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/bp-better-messages/tags/2.15.19/addons/stickers/pack-manager.php#L764"
},
{
"url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/bp-better-messages/tags/2.15.19/addons/stickers/rest.php#L153"
},
{
"url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3623636/bp-better-messages/trunk/addons/stickers/rest.php?old=3527109\u0026old_path=bp-better-messages%2Ftrunk%2Faddons%2Fstickers%2Frest.php"
}
],
"timeline": [
{
"lang": "en",
"time": "2026-07-22T14:00:28.000Z",
"value": "Vendor Notified"
},
{
"lang": "en",
"time": "2026-07-27T16:36:42.000Z",
"value": "Disclosed"
}
],
"title": "Better Messages \u003c= 2.15.19 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Arbitrary File Deletion via Path Traversal via \u0027file\u0027 Parameter"
}
},
"cveMetadata": {
"assignerOrgId": "b15e7b5b-3da4-40ae-a43c-f7aa60e62599",
"assignerShortName": "Wordfence",
"cveId": "CVE-2026-16585",
"datePublished": "2026-07-28T05:39:44.828Z",
"dateReserved": "2026-07-22T13:45:18.223Z",
"dateUpdated": "2026-07-28T16:05:04.482Z",
"state": "PUBLISHED"
},
"dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
"dataVersion": "5.2",
"vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
"epss": {
"cve": "CVE-2026-16585",
"date": "2026-07-30",
"epss": "0.00734",
"percentile": "0.5079"
},
"nvd": "{\"cve\":{\"id\":\"CVE-2026-16585\",\"sourceIdentifier\":\"security@wordfence.com\",\"published\":\"2026-07-28T07:16:41.993\",\"lastModified\":\"2026-07-28T16:17:32.097\",\"vulnStatus\":\"Deferred\",\"cveTags\":[],\"descriptions\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"The Better Messages \u2013 Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages \u0026 AI Chat Bots plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion due to insufficient file path validation in the delete_sticker function in all versions up to, and including, 2.15.19. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with administrator-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). The prefix check intended to restrict deletion to the uploads directory can be bypassed by crafting a URL that begins with the legitimate uploads base URL but embeds ../ traversal sequences in the path portion, as the normalize_sticker function only applies esc_url_raw(), which does not strip ../ sequences, allowing the traversal payload to be stored verbatim in WordPress options.\"}],\"affected\":[{\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\",\"affectedData\":[{\"vendor\":\"wordplus\",\"product\":\"Better Messages \u2013 Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages \u0026 AI Chat Bots\",\"defaultStatus\":\"unaffected\",\"versions\":[{\"version\":\"0\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"2.15.19\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"affected\"}]}]}],\"metrics\":{\"cvssMetricV31\":[{\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\",\"type\":\"Secondary\",\"cvssData\":{\"version\":\"3.1\",\"vectorString\":\"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H\",\"baseScore\":7.2,\"baseSeverity\":\"HIGH\",\"attackVector\":\"NETWORK\",\"attackComplexity\":\"LOW\",\"privilegesRequired\":\"HIGH\",\"userInteraction\":\"NONE\",\"scope\":\"UNCHANGED\",\"confidentialityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"integrityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"availabilityImpact\":\"HIGH\"},\"exploitabilityScore\":1.2,\"impactScore\":5.9}],\"ssvcV203\":[{\"source\":\"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0\",\"ssvcData\":{\"timestamp\":\"2026-07-28T16:04:56.383370Z\",\"id\":\"CVE-2026-16585\",\"options\":[{\"exploitation\":\"none\"},{\"automatable\":\"no\"},{\"technicalImpact\":\"total\"}],\"role\":\"CISA Coordinator\",\"version\":\"2.0.3\"}}]},\"weaknesses\":[{\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\",\"type\":\"Secondary\",\"description\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"CWE-22\"}]}],\"references\":[{\"url\":\"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/bp-better-messages/tags/2.15.19/addons/stickers/pack-manager.php#L764\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"},{\"url\":\"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/bp-better-messages/tags/2.15.19/addons/stickers/rest.php#L153\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"},{\"url\":\"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/bp-better-messages/tags/2.15.19/addons/stickers/rest.php#L285\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"},{\"url\":\"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/bp-better-messages/tags/2.15.19/addons/stickers/rest.php#L287\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"},{\"url\":\"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3623636/bp-better-messages/trunk/addons/stickers/rest.php?old=3527109\u0026old_path=bp-better-messages%2Ftrunk%2Faddons%2Fstickers%2Frest.php\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"},{\"url\":\"https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/e9274957-7584-4df6-bb2a-d745510f5033?source=cve\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"}]}}",
"vulnrichment": {
"containers": "{\"adp\": [{\"title\": \"CISA ADP Vulnrichment\", \"metrics\": [{\"other\": {\"type\": \"ssvc\", \"content\": {\"id\": \"CVE-2026-16585\", \"role\": \"CISA Coordinator\", \"options\": [{\"Exploitation\": \"none\"}, {\"Automatable\": \"no\"}, {\"Technical Impact\": \"total\"}], \"version\": \"2.0.3\", \"timestamp\": \"2026-07-28T16:04:56.383370Z\"}}}], \"providerMetadata\": {\"orgId\": \"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0\", \"shortName\": \"CISA-ADP\", \"dateUpdated\": \"2026-07-28T16:05:00.791Z\"}}], \"cna\": {\"title\": \"Better Messages \u003c= 2.15.19 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Arbitrary File Deletion via Path Traversal via \u0027file\u0027 Parameter\", \"credits\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"type\": \"finder\", \"value\": \"Wordfence PRISM\"}], \"metrics\": [{\"cvssV3_1\": {\"version\": \"3.1\", \"baseScore\": 7.2, \"baseSeverity\": \"HIGH\", \"vectorString\": \"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H\"}}], \"affected\": [{\"vendor\": \"wordplus\", \"product\": \"Better Messages \\u2013 Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages \u0026 AI Chat Bots\", \"versions\": [{\"status\": \"affected\", \"version\": \"0\", \"versionType\": \"semver\", \"lessThanOrEqual\": \"2.15.19\"}], \"defaultStatus\": \"unaffected\"}], \"timeline\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"time\": \"2026-07-22T14:00:28.000Z\", \"value\": \"Vendor Notified\"}, {\"lang\": \"en\", \"time\": \"2026-07-27T16:36:42.000Z\", \"value\": \"Disclosed\"}], \"references\": [{\"url\": \"https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/e9274957-7584-4df6-bb2a-d745510f5033?source=cve\"}, {\"url\": \"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/bp-better-messages/tags/2.15.19/addons/stickers/rest.php#L285\"}, {\"url\": \"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/bp-better-messages/tags/2.15.19/addons/stickers/rest.php#L287\"}, {\"url\": \"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/bp-better-messages/tags/2.15.19/addons/stickers/pack-manager.php#L764\"}, {\"url\": \"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/bp-better-messages/tags/2.15.19/addons/stickers/rest.php#L153\"}, {\"url\": \"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3623636/bp-better-messages/trunk/addons/stickers/rest.php?old=3527109\u0026old_path=bp-better-messages%2Ftrunk%2Faddons%2Fstickers%2Frest.php\"}], \"descriptions\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"value\": \"The Better Messages \\u2013 Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages \u0026 AI Chat Bots plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion due to insufficient file path validation in the delete_sticker function in all versions up to, and including, 2.15.19. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with administrator-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). The prefix check intended to restrict deletion to the uploads directory can be bypassed by crafting a URL that begins with the legitimate uploads base URL but embeds ../ traversal sequences in the path portion, as the normalize_sticker function only applies esc_url_raw(), which does not strip ../ sequences, allowing the traversal payload to be stored verbatim in WordPress options.\"}], \"problemTypes\": [{\"descriptions\": [{\"lang\": \"en\", \"type\": \"CWE\", \"cweId\": \"CWE-22\", \"description\": \"CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory (\u0027Path Traversal\u0027)\"}]}], \"providerMetadata\": {\"orgId\": \"b15e7b5b-3da4-40ae-a43c-f7aa60e62599\", \"shortName\": \"Wordfence\", \"dateUpdated\": \"2026-07-28T05:39:44.828Z\"}}}",
"cveMetadata": "{\"cveId\": \"CVE-2026-16585\", \"state\": \"PUBLISHED\", \"dateUpdated\": \"2026-07-28T16:05:04.482Z\", \"dateReserved\": \"2026-07-22T13:45:18.223Z\", \"assignerOrgId\": \"b15e7b5b-3da4-40ae-a43c-f7aa60e62599\", \"datePublished\": \"2026-07-28T05:39:44.828Z\", \"assignerShortName\": \"Wordfence\"}",
"dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
"dataVersion": "5.2"
}
}
}
Loading…
Loading…
Experimental. This forecast is provided for visualization only and may change without notice. Do not use it for operational decisions.
Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.
Sightings
| Author | Source | Type | Date | Other |
|---|
Nomenclature
- Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
- Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
- Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
- Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
- Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Loading…
The MITRE ATT&CK techniques below are AI-generated suggestions, inferred from the description of the
vulnerability by the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-classification-roberta-base
model, served locally by ML-Gateway.
They have not been verified by an analyst and are provided for guidance only.
Loading…
Loading…