Unauthenticated local file inclusion in BP Profile Search plugin
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- Code execution
- 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-98.
Summary
The BP Profile Search plugin for WordPress is affected in versions up to and including 5.9. The plugin takes a value from the client-controlled bps_directory cookie, appends .php, and passes it to a template loader without validating it (CWE-98). An unauthenticated remote attacker can include arbitrary PHP files on the server, which can lead to remote code execution when PHP files can be uploaded.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28
Description from the CNA
The BP Profile Search plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Local File Inclusion in versions up to, and including, 5.9 via the 'ajax_template' value parsed from the client-controlled 'bps_directory' cookie during BuddyPress AJAX directory requests. The bps_directory_ajax() filter (hooked onto bp_legacy_object_template_path and bp_nouveau_object_template_path) reads the cookie, applies only a referer-derived 'page' comparison in bps_get_directory_data() (where bps_current_page() uses HTTP_REFERER during AJAX and is therefore also attacker-controlled), and then suffixes the attacker-controlled template value with '.php' and passes it to bp_locate_template() with no basename restriction, no whitelist, and no path-traversal check. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to include arbitrary PHP files on the server, which can lead to remote code execution when PHP files can be uploaded or when images such as the default wordpress:php8.
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
Remediation
The sources list no fixed version for BP Profile Search.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28
Timeline
- 2026-10-14 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-104995
- 2026-10-14 Alias added: GHSA-46v5-32pc-qx73
- 2026-10-14 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
- 2026-10-15 CISA SSVC decision points changed
References
Other 6
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/a35419ff-a342-4480-9288-e98dee5afabc?source=cve
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/bp-profile-search/tags/5.9/bps-directory.php#L408
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/bp-profile-search/tags/5.9/bps-directory.php#L186
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/bp-profile-search/tags/5.9/bps-search.php#L6
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3737650
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/bp-profile-search/tags/6.0/bps-directory.php
More dontdream vulnerabilities
- TI-2024-14880 WordPress BP Profile Search Plugin <= 5.5 is vulnerable to Cross Site Scripting (XSS) CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.1
- TI-2023-18502 WordPress Menubar Plugin <= 5.8.2 is vulnerable to Cross Site Request Forgery (CSRF) CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
- TI-2024-07275 BP Profile Search <= 5.7.5 - Cross-Site Request Forgery to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.1
Sources
- CVE-2026-104995 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-104995 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-46v5-32pc-qx73 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences