CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-19091NVD status: Deferred

GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin…: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-19091 is a high-severity improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory vulnerability in GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory from Paoltaia, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1 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. Affected GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory versions: 2.8.169 and earlier. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.13% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 67% of scored CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Check which version of GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
PaoltaiaGeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory2.8.169 and earlierNot stated

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
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (wordfence.com).

Official description

The GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion due to insufficient file path validation in the delete_revision function in all versions up to, and including, 2.8.169. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level access and above, to delete arbitrary files on the server, which can easily lead to remote code execution when the right file is deleted (such as wp-config.php). By placing post_type=attachment exclusively in the query string to bypass the consistency check, an attacker can convert an auto-draft GeoDirectory listing into a WordPress attachment with attacker-controlled file paths injected into attachment metadata, which the delete_revision handler then dereferences and unlinks without any post-type or path validation.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory

The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.
  • Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid.
  • Use an application firewall that can detect attacks against this weakness. It can be beneficial in cases in which the code cannot be fixed (because it is controlled by a third party), as an emergency prevention measure while more comprehensive software assurance measures are applied, or to provide defense in depth.

More Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory vulnerabilities (CWE-22)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory

All GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory vulnerabilities

Recent Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory vulnerabilities

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