Missing authorization in smub ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- High
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-862.
Summary
The ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin) plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized arbitrary plugin installation and activation in all versions up to, and including, 9.1.2. This is due to the reports page exposing the 'onboarding_key' transient to any user with the 'exactmetrics_view_dashboard' capability. This key is the sole authorization gate for the '/wp-json/exactmetrics/v1/onboarding/connect-url' REST endpoint, which returns a one-time hash (OTH) token. This OTH token is then the only credential checked by the 'exactmetrics_connect_process' AJAX endpoint — which has no capability check, no nonce verification, and accepts an arbitrary plugin ZIP URL via the file parameter for installation and activation. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Editor-level access and above granted the report viewing permission, to install and activate arbitrary plugins from attacker-controlled URLs, leading to Remote Code Execution.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| smub | ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin) | up to 9.1.2 | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin) Vendorsmub Affected up to 9.1.2 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-5464
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-wx6x-8rvm-6rmr
References
Other 5
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/09127277-9e71-484d-b674-52af693c995b?source=cve
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/google-analytics-dashboard-for-wp/tags/9.1.1/includes/connect.php#L27
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/google-analytics-dashboard-for-wp/tags/9.1.1/includes/connect.php#L219
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/google-analytics-dashboard-for-wp/tags/9.1.1/includes/admin/class-exactmetrics-onboarding.php#L109
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/google-analytics-dashboard-for-wp/tags/9.1.1/includes/admin/admin-assets.php#L932
More smub vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-07755 WPCode <= 2.3.5 - Authenticated (Author+) Remote Code Execution via CPT Capability Bypass via XML-RPC wp.newPost CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2026-83530 Remote code execution in NextGEN Gallery plugin for WordPress CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2026-78567 PHP object injection in Duplicator and Duplicator Pro plugins CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2026-01649 ExactMetrics 8.6.0 - 9.0.2 - Authenticated (Custom) Insecure Direct Object Reference to Arbitrary Plugin Installation CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2026-01160 Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes – NextGEN Gallery <= 4.0.4 - Authenticated (Author+) Local File Inclusion CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2025-12465 Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes – NextGEN Gallery <= 3.59.12 - Authenticated… CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
Sources
- CVE-2026-5464 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-5464 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-wx6x-8rvm-6rmr · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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