CVE-2026-77017: Workeera WordPress Arbitrary File Read

CVE-2026-77017 Overview

CVE-2026-77017 affects the Workeera WordPress plugin in versions prior to 1.0.6. The plugin fails to restrict which profile values a candidate may submit and does not confine stored file locations to an allowed directory before serving them. Authenticated users holding only the subscriber role can read arbitrary files on the underlying server. Exposed assets include the WordPress wp-config.php configuration file and authentication secrets stored on disk. The flaw combines improper input validation on profile fields with missing path containment during file retrieval.

Critical Impact
Any authenticated user, including low-privilege subscribers, can read arbitrary server files such as wp-config.php, exposing database credentials and secret keys.

Affected Products

Workeera WordPress plugin versions prior to 1.0.6
WordPress sites permitting subscriber-level account registration
Any hosting environment where the plugin serves candidate-submitted file paths

Discovery Timeline

2026-08-27 - CVE-2026-77017 published to NVD
2026-08-27 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-77017

Vulnerability Analysis

The Workeera plugin exposes candidate profile functionality that accepts arbitrary keys and values without a server-side allowlist. An authenticated subscriber can submit a profile field that references a file path outside of the plugin's intended upload directory. When the plugin later serves that stored value as a downloadable asset, it does not validate that the resolved path remains within an allowed directory. The result is a Path Traversal condition [CWE-22] that yields arbitrary file read against the WordPress host.

Because the vulnerability requires only the subscriber role, exploitation cost is limited to registering an account on any site that permits self-registration. Attackers commonly target wp-config.php to obtain database credentials, AUTH_KEY, SECURE_AUTH_KEY, and other secrets that enable session forgery or lateral movement.

Root Cause

Two missing controls combine to produce the vulnerability. First, the plugin does not restrict which profile values a candidate may submit, so attacker-controlled data reaches a file-serving code path. Second, the plugin does not confine the stored file location to an allowed directory before serving it. Neither canonicalization nor an allowlist check gates the read operation.

Attack Vector

An authenticated subscriber submits a manipulated profile value referencing a sensitive file such as ../../../../wp-config.php. The plugin stores the value and later dereferences it during a file-serving request. The server returns the target file contents to the attacker. See the WPScan Vulnerability Report for the technical write-up.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-77017

Indicators of Compromise

Requests to Workeera plugin endpoints containing path traversal sequences such as ../, ..%2f, or absolute paths like /etc/passwd
HTTP responses to authenticated subscriber sessions returning content-types or payload sizes consistent with system configuration files
New subscriber account registrations followed shortly by profile update requests targeting file-related fields
Access log entries showing the same subscriber account fetching multiple distinct file paths through plugin routes

Detection Strategies

Inspect WordPress access logs for authenticated requests to Workeera plugin URLs referencing wp-config.php, .env, or files outside the plugin's uploads directory
Enable WordPress audit logging to correlate profile field updates with subsequent file-download requests from the same user identifier
Deploy web application firewall rules matching path traversal patterns on plugin routes handling candidate profile data

Monitoring Recommendations

Alert on subscriber accounts performing profile updates that contain filesystem metacharacters or absolute paths
Monitor egress patterns for large or unexpected file responses served to low-privilege user sessions
Track newly created subscriber accounts on sites running the Workeera plugin and flag activity that reads plugin-served files within minutes of registration

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-77017

Immediate Actions Required

Update the Workeera WordPress plugin to version 1.0.6 or later on every affected site
Rotate WordPress secret keys and salts in wp-config.php and reset database credentials if the plugin ran with subscriber registration enabled
Audit subscriber accounts created before patching and remove any that show suspicious profile or file-access activity
Disable open user registration temporarily on sites where subscriber accounts are not required

Patch Information

The vendor addressed the vulnerability in Workeera version 1.0.6. Administrators should install the update through the WordPress plugin dashboard or by replacing plugin files directly. Refer to the WPScan Vulnerability Report for advisory details and fix confirmation.

Workarounds

Deactivate the Workeera plugin until the site can be upgraded to version 1.0.6
Restrict new user registrations by setting Anyone can register to disabled under WordPress General Settings
Apply web server rules that block traversal sequences in query strings and POST bodies targeting plugin endpoints
Enforce filesystem permissions that prevent the web server user from reading files outside the WordPress document root where feasible

bash

# Configuration example: disable open registration and block traversal patterns at the web tier
wp option update users_can_register 0

# Nginx: reject path traversal on Workeera plugin routes
location ~* /wp-content/plugins/workeera/ {
    if ($args ~* "\.\.(/|%2f)") { return 403; }
    if ($request_body ~* "\.\.(/|%2f)") { return 403; }
}