CVE-2026-16957
Received Received - Intake

Slim SEO WordPress Plugin Post Meta Exposure Vulnerability

Publication date: 2026-08-09

Last updated on: 2026-08-09

Assigner: WPScan

Description
The Slim SEO WordPress plugin before 4.9.11 does not restrict a post-meta preview feature to posts the user is allowed to edit, verifying only read access, allowing users with the Contributor role to read arbitrary post meta, including protected and private keys, of published posts they do not own, including password-protected posts and posts of non-public post types.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-09
Last Modified
2026-08-09
Generated
2026-08-09
AI Q&A
2026-08-09
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-16957
EUVD
EUVD-2026-54888

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 2 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
wpseo slim_seo to 4.9.11 (exc)
slim_seo slim_seo to 4.9.11 (exc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability in the Slim SEO WordPress plugin before version 4.9.11 allows users with the Contributor role to read arbitrary post meta data, including protected and private keys, of published posts they do not own. The issue is due to improper access control, specifically an Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR) flaw.

Detection Guidance

To detect this vulnerability, check the Slim SEO plugin version installed on your WordPress site. If it is below 4.9.11, the site is vulnerable. You can verify the version via the WordPress admin dashboard under Plugins or by inspecting the plugin files directly.

Impact Analysis

An attacker with Contributor access could read sensitive data like passwords, private keys, or other protected meta information from posts they do not own. This includes password-protected posts and non-public post types, potentially leading to data leaks or further exploits.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, violating compliance requirements under GDPR (data protection) and HIPAA (health information privacy). Organizations using the vulnerable plugin may face legal penalties or reputational damage.

Mitigation Strategies

Immediately update the Slim SEO plugin to version 4.9.11 or later. This can be done through the WordPress admin dashboard under Plugins. If automatic updates are disabled, manually download and install the latest version from the official WordPress plugin repository.

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