CVE-2026-16585 — HIGH (7.2)

Vulnerability Description

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.

CVSS Score

7.2

HIGH

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

Attack Vector

NETWORK

Attack Complexity

LOW

Privileges Required

HIGH

User Interaction

NONE

Scope

UNCHANGED

Confidentiality

HIGH

Integrity

HIGH

Availability

HIGH

Related Weaknesses (CWE)

CWE-22

References

FAQ

What is CVE-2026-16585?

CVE-2026-16585 is a vulnerability with a CVSS score of 7.2 (HIGH). 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_stick...

How severe is CVE-2026-16585?

CVE-2026-16585 has been rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7.2/10. Review the CVSS metrics above for detailed severity breakdown.

Is there a patch for CVE-2026-16585?

Check the references section above for vendor advisories and patch information. Review vendor security bulletins for remediation guidance.