# CVE-2026-16601: CM Map Locations <= 2.1.8 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) Arbitrary File Upload via cmloc_route_image_upload AJAX Action

> Authenticated subscribers can upload executable files due to insufficient validation, potentially leading to remote code execution.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 25 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 27 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5ph3-fc6c-c54j

## What is CVE-2026-16601?

CVE-2026-16601 is a high-severity vulnerability in creativemindssolutions CM Map Locations – Visualize and share your locations in a few clicks, published on 25 Aug 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The CM Map Locations – Visualize and share your locations in a few clicks plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Limited Arbitrary File Upload in all versions up to, and including, 2.1.8 via the uploadMedia function. This is due to insufficient file type validation in the upload handler, which performs incomplete extension filtering without MIME-type checks or upload capability verification before passing attacker-supplied files to move_uploaded_file(). This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level access and above, to upload files that may be executable, which makes remote code execution possible. The required nonce is exposed to any logged-in Subscriber via the CMLOC_Editor_Images JavaScript object on the front-end location editor page.

Weakness: CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-16601?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-16601?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-16601 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-16601 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-16601 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-16601 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-16601 is a high-severity vulnerability in creativemindssolutions CM Map Locations – Visualize and share your locations in a few clicks, published on 25 Aug 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-16601 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: creativemindssolutions CM Map Locations – Visualize and share your locations in a few clicks. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-16601/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-16601/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-16601
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-16601
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-16601

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-16601/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.