CVE-2026-16957: CWE-639 Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key in Slim SEO
The Slim SEO WordPress plugin before 4.9.11 does not restrict a post-meta preview feature to posts the user is allowed to edit, verifying only read access, allowing users with the Contributor role to read arbitrary post meta, including protected and private keys, of published posts they do not own, including password-protected posts and posts of non-public post types.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
The Slim SEO WordPress plugin versions prior to 4.9.11 contain an authorization bypass vulnerability (CWE-639) in the post-meta preview feature. The plugin incorrectly verifies only read access rather than edit permissions, enabling users with Contributor roles to access post meta data they should not be authorized to view. This includes sensitive metadata such as protected and private keys from published posts, password-protected posts, and posts of non-public post types.
Potential Impact
Users with the Contributor role can read arbitrary post meta data from posts they do not own or have edit permissions for. This may expose sensitive information such as protected and private keys, including from password-protected and non-public posts. The exposure of such data could lead to information disclosure risks within the WordPress environment.
Mitigation Recommendations
No official patch or remediation guidance is currently available. Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until a fix is released, restrict Contributor role permissions or disable the Slim SEO post-meta preview feature if possible to limit exposure.
CVE-2026-16957: CWE-639 Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key in Slim SEO
Description
The Slim SEO WordPress plugin before 4.9.11 does not restrict a post-meta preview feature to posts the user is allowed to edit, verifying only read access, allowing users with the Contributor role to read arbitrary post meta, including protected and private keys, of published posts they do not own, including password-protected posts and posts of non-public post types.
Weaknesses
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
The Slim SEO WordPress plugin versions prior to 4.9.11 contain an authorization bypass vulnerability (CWE-639) in the post-meta preview feature. The plugin incorrectly verifies only read access rather than edit permissions, enabling users with Contributor roles to access post meta data they should not be authorized to view. This includes sensitive metadata such as protected and private keys from published posts, password-protected posts, and posts of non-public post types.
Potential Impact
Users with the Contributor role can read arbitrary post meta data from posts they do not own or have edit permissions for. This may expose sensitive information such as protected and private keys, including from password-protected and non-public posts. The exposure of such data could lead to information disclosure risks within the WordPress environment.
Mitigation Recommendations
No official patch or remediation guidance is currently available. Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until a fix is released, restrict Contributor role permissions or disable the Slim SEO post-meta preview feature if possible to limit exposure.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- WPScan
- Date Reserved
- 2026-07-24T08:11:02.717Z
- Cvss Version
- null
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- null
Threat ID: 6a781a2ebf8831d5391ffedb
Added to database: 08/09/2026, 06:11:58 UTC
Last enriched: 08/09/2026, 06:33:33 UTC
Last updated: 08/10/2026, 00:41:13 UTC
Views: 9
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