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.

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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'}


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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

Status : Received

Published: 2026-08-13T06:17:38.353

Modified: 2026-08-13T06:17:38.353

Link: CVE-2026-3835

cve-icon Redhat

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cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

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Weaknesses