Classified Listing: Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key
CVE-2026-16281 is a high-severity authorization bypass through user-controlled key vulnerability in Classified Listing, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists version 6.1.1 as the first without the flaw, so updating Classified Listing to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.34% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Classified Listing to 6.1.1 or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classified Listing | Classified Listing | 5.3.0 up to, but not including, 6.1.1 | 6.1.1 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- NoneNo data is disclosed.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- LowPerformance or availability is reduced.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L. Scored by CISA (ADP).
Official description
The Classified Listing WordPress plugin before 6.1.1 does not verify that the caller owns or can edit the target listing before its AI image-editing AJAX action deletes or attaches media, allowing any authenticated user, including a subscriber, to permanently delete attachments from, and attach files to, any listing owned by another user.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key
The system's authorization functionality does not prevent one user from gaining access to another user's data or record by modifying the key value identifying the data.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- For each and every data access, ensure that the user has sufficient privilege to access the record that is being requested.
- Make sure that the key that is used in the lookup of a specific user's record is not controllable externally by the user or that any tampering can be detected.
- Use encryption in order to make it more difficult to guess other legitimate values of the key or associate a digital signature with the key so that the server can verify that there has been no tampering.
More Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key vulnerabilities (CWE-639)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
Recent Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key vulnerabilities
- 7.1 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 10.0 Critical severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.