dbcve.org
Missing AuthorizationWeakness · CWE-862

CVE-2026-5464

HIGH · 7.2 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-04-23
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
78/100
Remediation priority · High
Remotely reachable Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
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.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

The ExactMetrics WordPress plugin (versions up to 9.1.2) has an authenticated RCE vulnerability. Attackers with Editor-level access and 'exactmetrics_view_dashboard' permission can obtain a one-time hash token via the onboarding REST API using an exposed transient key, then use this token at an unauthenticated AJAX endpoint to install and activate arbitrary plugins from attacker-controlled URLs.

MitigationUpdate to version 9.1.2 or later, or implement immediate temporary mitigations such as disabling the affected REST endpoints and AJAX actions until the patch can be applied.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
High
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Confirm ExactMetrics plugin is installed
    In WordPress admin, go to Plugins > Installed Plugins and look for ExactMetrics. Note the version number listed in the plugin details.
    Affected if ExactMetrics is installed and the version is 9.1.2 or earlier (any version up to and including 9.1.2)
  2. Verify the plugin version against affected range
    Compare the installed version number to the affected range (versions up to and including 9.1.2). If the installed version is 9.1.2 or lower, the environment falls within the vulnerable range.
    Affected if Installed version is 9.1.2 or any earlier version of ExactMetrics
  3. Check for Editor-level user accounts
    In WordPress admin, go to Users and review account roles. Identify any accounts with Editor role or higher (Editor, Author, Contributor, Administrator).
    Affected if There exists at least one user account with Editor-level access or higher, which could potentially have the required 'exactmetrics_view_dashboard' permission
  4. Identify users with exactmetrics_view_dashboard permission
    Review user roles and capabilities to determine if any Editor-level accounts have been granted the 'exactmetrics_view_dashboard' permission, which is required for the attack chain.
    Affected if Any user account possesses the 'exactmetrics_view_dashboard' permission in combination with Editor-level access
  5. Confirm REST API and AJAX endpoint exposure
    Test for exposure of the ExactMetrics onboarding REST API endpoint (typically at /wp-json/exactmetrics/...) and the unauthenticated AJAX action for plugin installation/activation. These endpoints must be accessible for the vulnerability to be exploitable.
    Affected if The ExactMetrics REST API endpoints and the plugin installation AJAX action are publicly accessible without additional authentication beyond the token

Your environment is affected if ExactMetrics plugin version 9.1.2 or earlier is installed AND an Editor-level user with the exactmetrics_view_dashboard permission exists AND the relevant REST/ajax endpoints are exposed.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Update to version 9.1.2 or later, or implement immediate temporary mitigations such as disabling the affected REST endpoints and AJAX actions until the patch can be applied.

Recommended fix High confidence

ExactMetrics version 9.1.3 or later

  1. Check the current version of the ExactMetrics plugin installed on the WordPress site
  2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins in the WordPress admin dashboard
  3. Locate ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress
  4. If the installed version is 9.1.2 or lower, update to the latest available version
  5. Verify the update was successful and the plugin functions normally

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Have this fixed Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation6.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA3.0 h
18.0 hours of engineering $3,120
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-5464 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data