CVE-2026-87902
WordPress Core Remote File Inclusion Vulnerability - [Actively Exploited]
Description
An unauthenticated attacker can make `get_page_template()` page-template resolution include a chosen readable local `.php` file outside the active theme directories. If relevant pre-conditions for both the server and the active theme are met, this can lead to RCE.
INFO
Published Date :
Sept. 22, 2026, 5:17 p.m.
Last Modified :
Sept. 28, 2026, 12:20 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
Yes !
Source :
[email protected]
CISA KEV (Known Exploited Vulnerabilities)
For the benefit of the cybersecurity community and network defenders—and to help every organization better manage vulnerabilities and keep pace with threat activity—CISA maintains the authoritative source of vulnerabilities that have been exploited in the wild.
WordPress Core contains a remote file inclusion vulnerability which could allow an unauthenticated attacker to make page-template resolution include a chosen readable local `.php` file outside the active theme directories, leading to remote code execution.
Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines.
Unknown
https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/security/advisories/GHSA-7hp8-65ch-5whp ; ; BOD 26-04: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-26-04-prioritizing-security-updates-based-risk ; Forensics Triage Requirements: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-26-04-implementation-guidance-prioritizing-security-updates-based-risk ; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-87902
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 | |||||
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 |
Solution
- Update theme to the latest version.
- Sanitize user input for file resolution.
- Restrict file access to active theme directories.
- Disable theme file editing functionality.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-87902.
| URL | Resource |
|---|---|
| https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/security/advisories/GHSA-7hp8-65ch-5whp | Vendor Advisory |
| https://patchstack.com/articles/cve-2026-87902-attackers-started-probing-wordpress-sites-hours-after-the-patch/ | Third Party Advisory |
| https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-87902 | US Government Resource |
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-87902 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-87902
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2026-87902 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
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Kaspersky
CVE-2026-87902: Critical Vulnerability in WordPress
vulnerability CVE-2026-87902, a new critical vulnerability in the WordPress core, is already being actively exploited in real-world attacks. Editorial Team September 25, 2026 A critical vulnerability ... Read more
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security.nl
NCSC meldt actief misbruik van kritiek WordPress-lek: 'Update nu'
Aanvallers maken actief misbruik van een kritieke path traversal-kwetsbaarheid in WordPress waardoor websites zijn over te nemen, zo meldt het Nationaal Cyber Security Centrum (NCSC). Er is een update ... Read more
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The Hacker News
Attackers Exploit WordPress CVE-2026-87902 Within Hours of Disclosure
Threat actors have begun to actively exploit a critical security flaw in WordPress within hours of public disclosure. The vulnerability in question is CVE-2026-87902 (CVSS score: 9.2), which could all ... Read more
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The Hacker News
WordPress Issues Patch for Critical Flaw That Can Enable Code Execution on Some Servers
WordPress has fixed a critical flaw in its core software that lets an attacker with no account make a site load a PHP file from outside its theme folders. On some servers, that can go further, allowin ... Read more
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-87902 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
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Initial Analysis by [email protected]
Sep. 28, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added CPE Configuration OR *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 4.8 up to (excluding) 4.8.32 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 4.9 up to (excluding) 4.9.33 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 5.0 up to (excluding) 5.0.29 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 5.1 up to (excluding) 5.1.26 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 5.2 up to (excluding) 5.2.28 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 5.3 up to (excluding) 5.3.25 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 5.4 up to (excluding) 5.4.23 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 5.5 up to (excluding) 5.5.22 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 5.6 up to (excluding) 5.6.21 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 5.7 up to (excluding) 5.7.19 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 5.8 up to (excluding) 5.8.17 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 5.9 up to (excluding) 5.9.18 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 6.0 up to (excluding) 6.0.16 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 6.1 up to (excluding) 6.1.14 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 6.2 up to (excluding) 6.2.13 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 6.3 up to (excluding) 6.3.12 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 6.4 up to (excluding) 6.4.12 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 6.5 up to (excluding) 6.5.12 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 6.6 up to (excluding) 6.6.9 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 6.7 up to (excluding) 6.7.9 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 6.8 up to (excluding) 6.8.10 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 6.9 up to (excluding) 6.9.9 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 7.0 up to (excluding) 7.0.6 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions up to (excluding) 4.7.37 *cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions from (including) 7.1 up to (excluding) 7.1.2 Added Reference Type HackerOne: https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/security/advisories/GHSA-7hp8-65ch-5whp Types: Vendor Advisory Added Reference Type CISA-ADP: https://patchstack.com/articles/cve-2026-87902-attackers-started-probing-wordpress-sites-hours-after-the-patch/ Types: Third Party Advisory Added Reference Type CISA-ADP: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-87902 Types: US Government Resource -
CVE Modified by 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
Sep. 26, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Removed SSVC {'id': 'CVE-2026-87902', 'role': 'CISA Coordinator', 'options': [{'exploitation': 'active'}, {'automatable': 'no'}, {'technicalImpact': 'total'}], 'version': '2.0.3', 'timestamp': '2026-09-25T19:40:04.026420Z'} Added SSVC {'id': 'CVE-2026-87902', 'role': 'CISA Coordinator', 'options': [{'exploitation': 'active'}, {'automatable': 'no'}, {'technicalImpact': 'total'}], 'version': '2.0.3', 'timestamp': '2026-09-25T00:00:00+00:00'} -
CVE CISA KEV Update by 9119a7d8-5eab-497f-8521-727c672e3725
Sep. 25, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Date Added 2026-09-25 Added Due Date 2026-09-25 Added Required Action 2026-09-25 Added Vulnerability Name 2026-09-25 -
CVE Modified by 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
Sep. 25, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Reference https://patchstack.com/articles/cve-2026-87902-attackers-started-probing-wordpress-sites-hours-after-the-patch/ Added Reference https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-87902 Removed SSVC {'id': 'CVE-2026-87902', 'role': 'CISA Coordinator', 'options': [{'exploitation': 'none'}, {'automatable': 'no'}, {'technicalImpact': 'total'}], 'version': '2.0.3', 'timestamp': '2026-09-22T16:56:15.222399Z'} Added SSVC {'id': 'CVE-2026-87902', 'role': 'CISA Coordinator', 'options': [{'exploitation': 'active'}, {'automatable': 'no'}, {'technicalImpact': 'total'}], 'version': '2.0.3', 'timestamp': '2026-09-25T19:40:04.026420Z'} -
New CVE Received by [email protected]
Sep. 22, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Description An unauthenticated attacker can make `get_page_template()` page-template resolution include a chosen readable local `.php` file outside the active theme directories. If relevant pre-conditions for both the server and the active theme are met, this can lead to RCE. Added CWE CWE-98 Added Affected New affected value received. <a href="https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/blob/main/cves/2026/87xxx/CVE-2026-87902.json">CVE-2026-87902</a> Added Reference https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/security/advisories/GHSA-7hp8-65ch-5whp -
CVE Modified by 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
Sep. 22, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added CVSS V3.1 AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Added SSVC {'id': 'CVE-2026-87902', 'role': 'CISA Coordinator', 'options': [{'exploitation': 'none'}, {'automatable': 'no'}, {'technicalImpact': 'total'}], 'version': '2.0.3', 'timestamp': '2026-09-22T16:56:15.222399Z'}