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Atarim – AI Agency for WordPress: Edit Pages, Fix Code, Update Plugins, SEO & Client Feedback Plugin Vulnerability (CVE-2026-19942)

Nick Paliughi
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Security Alert Summary

The Atarim – AI Agency for WordPress: Edit Pages, Fix Code, Update Plugins, SEO & Client Feedback plugin contains an arbitrary file deletion vulnerability in the AVCF_Abilities_Media::register (replace-media-file execute_callback) code path in all versions up to and including 5.1.1. Authenticated users with author-level access or higher can overwrite an attachment’s _wp_attached_file meta via the atarim/update-post-field ability and then invoke atarim/replace-media-file to cause get_attached_file() to resolve and unlink a targeted file. Deleting certain files (for example, wp-config.php) can lead to remote code execution when exploited.

CVE Details

  • CVE ID: CVE-2026-19942
  • Affected plugin / component: Atarim – AI Agency for WordPress: Edit Pages, Fix Code, Update Plugins, SEO & Client Feedback
  • Affected versions: All versions up to and including 5.1.1
  • Published: August 19, 2026 at 05:17:02 AM UTC
  • Last modified: August 19, 2026 at 05:17:02 AM UTC
  • CVSS v3.1: Base score 8.1, Severity HIGH, Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
  • Authentication / privileges / user interaction: Authentication required (authenticated users). Privileges required: LOW (author-level or higher). User interaction: NONE.
  • Primary impact: Confidentiality: NONE; Integrity: HIGH; Availability: HIGH
  • Weakness (CWE): CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

Technical Details

The vulnerability is an insufficient file path validation issue in the plugin’s media ability registration. Specifically, the AVCF_Abilities_Media::register function exposes a replace-media-file execute_callback that uses the resolved path from get_attached_file() and calls unlink() without adequate validation. An attacker with author-level access can first use the atarim/update-post-field ability to overwrite the _wp_attached_file meta for an attachment, inserting a directory-traversal path. When atarim/replace-media-file is invoked, the plugin resolves that manipulated path via get_attached_file() and proceeds to unlink the target file on disk.

The direct impact is deletion of arbitrary files the PHP process has permission to remove. The CVE description notes that deleting certain files, such as wp-config.php, can easily lead to remote code execution in many hosting configurations. The issue stems from lacking path canonicalization and insufficient checks on the target path before performing file deletion.

How This Could Impact Your Website

Consider a small site with a site owner, internal editors, and external contributors. An attacker who has been granted author-level access (for example, a malicious external contributor or a compromised staff account) could manipulate an attachment record and then trigger the replace-media-file action to delete files outside the uploads directory. Practical consequences include site downtime or malfunction if application files are removed, and the possibility of remote code execution if sensitive files needed by WordPress are deleted and replaced. While the CVSS vector lists confidentiality impact as none for this vulnerability itself, follow-on exploitation after achieving code execution could expose sensitive data or user information and increase the risk of targeted phishing or social engineering against staff and contractors.

If you’re unsure whether your site is affected or how to assess your current user roles and plugins, it may be worth having a professional review.

Recommended Actions

  • Update the affected plugin as soon as a patched version is available.
  • Review and reduce unnecessary user roles and capabilities, especially for contributor- and author-level accounts.
  • Enforce strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication for editors and administrators.
  • Remove unused or unmaintained plugins from the site.
  • Monitor site activity and file integrity for unusual behavior, and maintain recent backups stored off-site.

If you’d like help reviewing your plugins, user roles, or overall WordPress security posture, our team at Freshy is happy to help.

References

Nick Paliughihttps://freshysites.com/team/nick-paliughi/
Nick was born in California and now resides in Lake Worth, FL. He has 10 years of experience building and maintaining sites in WordPress, which he is excited to put to use at Freshy. Prior to starting at Freshy in 2022 his focus was on WordPress security & malware removal. When he’s not tending to your website, Nick is installing exhibitions at art galleries and museums in Palm Beach County, and if he’s lucky surfing at the Lake Worth pier.

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