CVE-2026-113490 in GeoDirectory Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/24/2026
The GeoDirectory WordPress plugin before 2.8.194 does not perform any status or ownership check when rendering a listing's map-popup through one of its single-item REST routes, allowing unauthenticated users to read the title, permalink and card fields of non-public (draft, pending, private and trashed) listings by supplying the listing ID.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/24/2026
The vulnerability identified in GeoDirectory versions prior to 2.8.194 represents a critical failure in access control mechanisms within the plugin's REST API implementation. This flaw specifically affects the rendering of map popups for individual property or business listings, which are commonly displayed on public-facing websites using this WordPress extension. The core issue stems from the absence of proper authorization checks when processing requests to single-item REST endpoints. In a secure architecture, any endpoint that returns data associated with specific content objects must verify not only that the user is authenticated if required but also that they possess the appropriate permissions or ownership rights relative to the requested resource. GeoDirectory failed to implement these necessary status and ownership validations for this particular route, creating an open channel for unauthorized data retrieval.
From a technical perspective, the vulnerability allows unauthenticated actors to exploit the REST API by supplying specific listing identifiers in their requests. Because the server does not validate whether the requesting user has permission to view the content associated with that identifier, it proceeds to fetch and return the full details of the listing regardless of its publication status. This includes listings marked as drafts, pending review, private, or even those moved to the trash bin. The data exposed through this vector typically encompasses sensitive metadata such as the title of the listing, its permalink structure, and card fields which may contain additional descriptive information. This behavior violates fundamental principles of secure software design where state changes and content visibility should be strictly governed by role-based access controls or explicit permission flags.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations relying on GeoDirectory to manage sensitive or pre-publication content. Attackers can systematically enumerate listing IDs, often through simple sequential guessing or by leveraging other publicly available information, to harvest data that was intended to remain hidden from the public eye. For businesses using the plugin for internal directories or draft projects, this exposure could lead to intellectual property theft, competitive intelligence gathering, or privacy violations if personal contact details are included in the exposed fields. Furthermore, the ability to access trashed items suggests a deeper issue with data lifecycle management, where deleted content remains accessible until permanent purging occurs, increasing the window of opportunity for exploitation.
This vulnerability aligns closely with CWE-284 Improper Access Control and CWE-601 URL Redirection to Untrusted Site (if combined with other flaws) or more accurately CWE-798 Use of Hard-coded Credentials if authentication was bypassed via default settings, but primarily it is classified under CWE-862 Missing Authorization. In the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this behavior corresponds to T1078 Valid Accounts and potentially T1530 Data from Cloud Storage Object Discovery depending on how the data is stored and retrieved, though more accurately it fits within reconnaissance phases where an attacker gathers information about system configuration or content structure. The lack of authentication requirements places it firmly in the category of unauthenticated access vulnerabilities which are particularly dangerous due to their ease of exploitation by automated tools.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve immediate updates to GeoDirectory version 2.8.194 or later, where these authorization checks have been implemented. Administrators should ensure that all plugins and core WordPress installations are kept up to date with the latest security patches provided by vendors. In environments where updating is not immediately feasible, temporary mitigations may include restricting access to the REST API endpoints through web application firewall rules if specific endpoint paths can be identified, although this is less effective than a code-level fix. Additionally, organizations should review their data handling practices for draft and private content, ensuring that sensitive information is minimized in fields that might be exposed during development or testing phases. Regular security audits focusing on REST API implementations are recommended to detect similar access control failures across other plugins and custom integrations within the WordPress ecosystem.