# CVE-2026-18466: WP Maps < 4.9.8 - Subscriber+ Unlimited Autoloaded Option Creation

> Subscribers can create unlimited autoloaded options via an unprotected AJAX action, causing performance degradation and database bloat.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L`)
- **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:** 19 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qv3g-6665-8589

## What is CVE-2026-18466?

CVE-2026-18466 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Unknown WP Maps, published on 19 Aug 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The WP Maps  WordPress plugin before 4.9.8 does not perform a capability check, nor validate a nonce, in one of its AJAX actions, allowing users with a Subscriber account to create an unlimited number of options in the database, each of which is loaded on every page request.

Weakness: CWE-284 (Improper Access Control)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-18466?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-18466?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-18466 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-18466 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-18466 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-18466 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-18466 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Unknown WP Maps, published on 19 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-2026-18466 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Unknown WP Maps. 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-2026-18466/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-18466/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-18466
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-18466
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-18466

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-18466/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.