WordPress security changelog
MEDIUM CVE-2026-1921 Deferred

Loco Translate: Filesystem traversal

Loco Translate is affected by filesystem traversal. Exploitation requires an authenticated WordPress account. A crafted path can escape the intended directory and reach files or directories elsewhere on the server. The published affected range is <= 2.8.2.

CVE / CNA score 4.9 CVSS 3.1 · security@wordfence.com
NVD score Pending NVD has not published its own CVSS assessment.
Component
Loco Translate
Plugin slug
loco-translate
Affected
<= 2.8.2
Safe version
> 2.8.2
Published
May 05, 2026
Weakness
CWE-22 — Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')

This CVE was published May 05, 2026 and is one of 6 known issues for this plugin.

What to do

Update, patch or deactivate.

Update Loco Translate to a release after 2.8.2, or disable and remove it until a fixed version is available.

A safe version is available, so updating to that version or later is the preferred remediation. If an immediate update is not practical, consider a targeted application patch or temporarily restricting the affected functionality.

Deactivate only when warranted by your risk profile, or when advised by your hosting provider in the limited circumstances where the vulnerability cannot otherwise be mitigated. If you’re unsure which action is appropriate, contact Fused or your hosting provider for guidance.

Source record

Technical description

The Loco Translate plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Path Traversal in all versions up to, and including, 2.8.2 via the `fsReference` AJAX route. This is due to the `findSourceFile()` method normalizing user-supplied `ref` paths containing `../` directory traversal sequences without validating that the resolved path remains within the intended bundle or content directory. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Translator-level access and above (custom `loco_admin` capability required, granted to the `translator` role and administrators by default), to read arbitrary `.php`, `.js`, `.json`, and `.twig` files from the server filesystem outside the intended translation directory. Files named wp-config.php are excluded.

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

References

Primary and upstream sources