Vulnerability Description
The CMP – Coming Soon & Maintenance Plugin by NiteoThemes plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file upload and remote code execution in all versions up to, and including, 4.1.16 via the `cmp_theme_update_install` AJAX action. This is due to the function only checking for the `publish_pages` capability (available to Editors and above) instead of `manage_options` (Administrators only), combined with a lack of proper validation on the user-supplied file URL and no verification of the downloaded file's content before extraction. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Administrator-level access and above, to force the server to download and extract a malicious ZIP file from a remote attacker-controlled URL into a web-accessible directory (`wp-content/plugins/cmp-premium-themes/`), resulting in remote code execution. Due to the lack of a nonce for Editors, they are unable to exploit this vulnerability.
CVSS Score
HIGH
Related Weaknesses (CWE)
References
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/cmp-coming-soon-maintenance/tags/4.1.
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/cmp-coming-soon-maintenance/tags/4.1.
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/cmp-coming-soon-maintenance/tags/4.1.
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?old_path=%2Fcmp-coming-soon-mainten
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/d6fb275b-dbba-46df-b17
FAQ
What is CVE-2026-6518?
CVE-2026-6518 is a vulnerability with a CVSS score of 8.8 (HIGH). The CMP – Coming Soon & Maintenance Plugin by NiteoThemes plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file upload and remote code execution in all versions up to, and including, 4.1.16 via the `cm...
How severe is CVE-2026-6518?
CVE-2026-6518 has been rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 8.8/10. Review the CVSS metrics above for detailed severity breakdown.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-6518?
Check the references section above for vendor advisories and patch information. Review vendor security bulletins for remediation guidance.