CVE-2026-1921
Loco Translate <= 2.8.2 - Authenticated (Translator+) Path Traversal to Limited File Read via 'ref' Parameter
- State
- Published
- Severity
- 4.9 Medium
- Published
- May 5, 2026
- Updated
- May 6, 2026
- Reserved
- Feb 4, 2026
Description
The Loco Translate plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Path Traversal in all versions up to, and including, 2.8.2 via the `fsReference` AJAX route. This is due to the `findSourceFile()` method normalizing user-supplied `ref` paths containing `../` directory traversal sequences without validating that the resolved path remains within the intended bundle or content directory. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Translator-level access and above (custom `loco_admin` capability required, granted to the `translator` role and administrators by default), to read arbitrary `.php`, `.js`, `.json`, and `.twig` files from the server filesystem outside the intended translation directory. Files named wp-config.php are excluded.
Scores
| CVSS | Score | Vector | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | 4.9 Medium | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N | Wordfence |
Weaknesses
- CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
Affected Products
| Product | Versions |
|---|---|
Loco Translatetimwhitlock |
|
References
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/f9ff3058-a08c-40ed-b756-81e703b2277a?source=cve
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/loco-translate/tags/2.8.1/src/ajax/FsReferenceController.php#L12
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/loco-translate/trunk/src/ajax/FsReferenceController.php#L12
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/loco-translate/tags/2.8.1/src/ajax/FsReferenceController.php#L92
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/loco-translate/trunk/src/ajax/FsReferenceController.php#L92
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3482475/loco-translate/trunk/tpl/admin/config/version.php
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?old_path=%2Floco-translate/tags/2.8.2&new_path=%2Floco-translate/tags/2.8.3
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