dbcve.org
Missing AuthorizationWeakness · CWE-862

CVE-2026-5488

MEDIUM · 5.3 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-04-24
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
62/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Remotely reachable No privileges 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 plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Missing Authorization in versions up to and including 9.1.2. This is due to missing capability checks in the get_ads_access_token() and reset_experience() AJAX handlers. While the mi-admin-nonce is localized on all admin pages (including profile.php which subscribers can access), and while other similar AJAX endpoints in the same class properly check for the exactmetrics_save_settings capability, these two endpoints only verify the nonce. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level access and above, to retrieve valid Google Ads access tokens and reset Google Ads integration settings.

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 have a missing authorization vulnerability. Two AJAX handlers (get_ads_access_token and reset_experience) only verify a nonce but fail to check for the 'exactmetrics_save_settings' capability that other similar endpoints properly enforce. This allows any authenticated user with subscriber-level access to retrieve Google Ads access tokens and reset integration settings.

MitigationAdd proper capability checks (exactmetrics_save_settings) to the get_ads_access_token() and reset_experience() AJAX handlers, ensuring only administrators can access these sensitive functions.

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
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
None

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

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
    Check the WordPress plugins directory (wp-content/plugins/) for the exactmetrics folder, or query the wp_options table for 'active_plugins'
    Affected if ExactMetrics plugin is present in the WordPress installation
  2. Identify the installed ExactMetrics version
    Open the plugin's main PHP file (usually exactmetrics.php) and check the version in the plugin header, or inspect the readme.txt file
    Affected if Version is 9.1.2 or lower (any version up to and including 9.1.2)
  3. Locate the AJAX handler registration
    Search the plugin files for 'wp_ajax_get_ads_access_token' and 'wp_ajax_reset_experience' to find where these endpoints are registered
    Affected if These AJAX actions are registered in the plugin (indicating the vulnerable handlers exist)
  4. Verify capability check is missing
    Examine the PHP functions get_ads_access_token() and reset_experience() in the plugin code; look for calls to current_user_can() with 'exactmetrics_save_settings' capability
    Affected if The functions verify only a nonce but do NOT call current_user_can('exactmetrics_save_settings') before executing sensitive operations

A user is affected if ExactMetrics version 9.1.2 or lower is installed AND the AJAX handlers for get_ads_access_token or reset_existence lack the exactmetrics_save_settings capability check, allowing any authenticated subscriber-level user to access sensitive Google Ads data and reset integration settings.

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

Add proper capability checks (exactmetrics_save_settings) to the get_ads_access_token() and reset_experience() AJAX handlers, ensuring only administrators can access these sensitive functions.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

ExactMetrics plugin version 9.1.3 or later

  1. 1. Log in to the WordPress admin dashboard with administrator privileges
  2. 2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins
  3. 3. Locate ExactMetrics (formerly MonsterInsights) in the plugin list
  4. 4. If an update is available, click 'Update Now' to install the latest version
  5. 5. After updating, verify the plugin is running version 9.1.3 or later
  6. 6. Confirm that the 'exactmetrics_save_settings' capability check is now properly enforced on the get_ads_access_token() and reset_experience() AJAX endpoints

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

Have this fixed Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation2.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
8.0 hours of engineering $1,390
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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-2026-5488 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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