The Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access of protected files due to insufficient token validation in the `get_advance_file_by_url()` method in all versions up to, and including, 2.8.8.8 The method uses a SQL `LIKE` operator for token lookup without escaping wildcard characters via `$wpdb->esc_like()`. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to bypass the private token requirement by supplying SQL wildcard characters (such as `%`) as the token value, matching any record in the plugin's file table and downloading any protected file.

No CVSS v4.0

Attack Vector Network

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required None

Scope Unchanged

Confidentiality Impact Low

Integrity Impact None

Availability Impact None

User Interaction None

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

No EPSS score available.

Key SSVC decision points have not yet been added.

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions
buildwps Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files unaffected
Version Status Constraints
0 affected ≤ 2.8.8.8

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Project Subscriptions

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Advisories

No advisories yet.

Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.

Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

References
Link Providers
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/prevent-direct-access/tags/2.8.8.4/includes/repository.php#L221 cve-icon
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/prevent-direct-access/trunk/download.php#L377 cve-icon
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/prevent-direct-access/trunk/includes/repository.php#L221 cve-icon
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3637499/prevent-direct-access/trunk/includes/repository.php cve-icon
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?old_path=%2Fprevent-direct-access/tags/2.8.8.8&new_path=%2Fprevent-direct-access/tags/2.8.8.9 cve-icon
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?reponame=&new=3637502%40prevent-direct-access%2Ftags%2F2.8.8.9&old=3524320%40prevent-direct-access%2Ftags%2F2.8.8.8 cve-icon
https://wordpress.org/plugins/prevent-direct-access/ cve-icon
https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/c39d16f1-ce80-402c-8a36-f9070dc5f9c9?source=cve cve-icon
History

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 05:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description The Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access of protected files due to insufficient token validation in the `get_advance_file_by_url()` method in all versions up to, and including, 2.8.8.8 The method uses a SQL `LIKE` operator for token lookup without escaping wildcard characters via `$wpdb->esc_like()`. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to bypass the private token requirement by supplying SQL wildcard characters (such as `%`) as the token value, matching any record in the plugin's file table and downloading any protected file.
Title Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files <= 2.8.8.8 - Unauthenticated Protected File Access
Weaknesses CWE-285
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.3, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N'}

Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Wordfence

Published:

Updated: 2026-08-13T05:29:19.702Z

Reserved: 2026-03-09T14:22:47.517Z

Link: CVE-2026-3835

cve-icon Vulnrichment

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cve-icon NVD

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cve-icon Redhat

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cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

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Weaknesses