timwhitlock Loco Translate Plugin up to 2.8.2 on WordPress findSourceFile path traversal

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability has been found in timwhitlock Loco Translate Plugin up to 2.8.2 on WordPress and classified as critical. This affects the function findSourceFile. Performing a manipulation results in path traversal. This vulnerability is reported as CVE-2026-1921. The attack is possible to be carried out remotely. No exploit exists. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in timwhitlock Loco Translate Plugin up to 2.8.2 on WordPress. It has been classified as problematic. This affects the function findSourceFile. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a path traversal vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-22. 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. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality. The summary by CVE is:

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.

The weakness was disclosed by Angus Girvan. The advisory is shared at wordfence.com. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2026-1921 since 02/04/2026. The exploitability is told to be easy. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. Additional levels of successful authentication are required for exploitation. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available. MITRE ATT&CK project uses the attack technique T1006 for this issue.

Upgrading to version 2.8.1 eliminates this vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the vulnerability database at EUVD (EUVD-2026-27169). If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Productinfo

Type

• WordPress Plugin

Vendor

• timwhitlock

Name

• Loco Translate Plugin

Version

• 2.8.0
• 2.8.1
• 2.8.2

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

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