CVE-2026-16940
Unauthenticated path-traversal lets attackers delete files (e.g., wp-config.php) leading to site takeover.
Is CVE-2026-16940 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-16940 does not appear in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which records only exploitation that has been observed and reported publicly. That is evidence of absence of a report, not evidence the flaw is unattacked. EPSS currently estimates a 0.40% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How severe is CVE-2026-16940?
CVE-2026-16940 is rated Critical with a CVSS score of 10.0. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-16940?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-16940. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-16940 affect?
CVE-2026-16940 affects WordPress Custom Fields plugin < 1.5.1, Self-hosted WordPress sites, Shared/managed WordPress hosting. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-16940?
Update Custom Fields plugin to >=1.5.1, verify/restore wp-config.php and site integrity.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Unauthenticated file deletion via path traversal allowing removal of wp-config.php and enabling full site takeover.
Immediate action required
- affected< 1.5.1
As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.