What the vulnerability does
01Description
The Perfmatters plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Directory Traversal in all versions up to, and including, 2.6.4 via the 's' parameter. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to read the contents of arbitrary files on the server, which can contain sensitive information. Exploitation requires the Local Google Fonts feature to be enabled (disabled by default), pretty permalinks to be active, and RSS feed links to remain enabled in the plugin settings.
Explanation of Vulnerability in Simple Terms
02Summary
Perfmatters versions 2.6.4 and earlier contain a path traversal vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary files from the server. An attacker can craft a request to access files outside the intended directory, potentially exposing sensitive configuration files, database credentials, or other private data. No user interaction is required.
What an attacker can do
03Attacker Capabilities
Read arbitrary files from the server, including sensitive configuration and credential files.
Potential impact on your site
04Site Impact
Attackers can access sensitive files like wp-config.php, database backups, or private keys without logging in.
Conditions required to exploit
05Prerequisites
Network access only; no authentication or user interaction required.
Key dates
06Disclosure timeline
July 2, 2026
CVE published
July 2, 2026
Record updated
