# CVE-2026-16779: Missing authorization in Kubio AI Page Builder

> Authenticated contributors can modify front-page settings, menus, and templates due to missing authorization checks in the Kubio AI Page Builder plugin.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N`)
- **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:** 16 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mxh6-wmv3-9hg9

## What is CVE-2026-16779?

CVE-2026-16779 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in extendthemes Kubio AI Page Builder, published on 16 Aug 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Kubio AI Page Builder plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to authorization bypass in all versions up to, and including, 2.8.5. This is due to the plugin not properly verifying that a user is authorized to perform an action. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with contributor-level access and above, to overwrite front-page configuration options (show_on_front, page_on_front, and page_for_posts), rewrite primary navigation menu items, replace template parts, and overwrite the Kubio global-data post. Although a nonce check via check_ajax_referer() is present, the nonce is unconditionally emitted into window.kubioUtilsData for every user who can load the block editor, making it harvestable by any Contributor and therefore an ineffective authorization barrier.

Weakness: CWE-862 (Missing Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-16779?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-16779?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-16779 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-16779 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-16779 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-16779 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-16779 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in extendthemes Kubio AI Page Builder, published on 16 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-2026-16779 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: extendthemes Kubio AI Page Builder. 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-2026-16779/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-16779/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-16779
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-16779
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-16779

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-16779/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.