# CVE-2026-1992: ExactMetrics 8.6.0 - 9.0.2 - Authenticated (Custom) Insecure Direct Object Reference to Arbitrary Plugin Installation

> Authenticated users with report viewing permissions can bypass capability checks to install arbitrary plugins, 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:** 11 Mar 2026
- **Updated:** 11 Mar 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-q5p4-g7m4-mhv3

## What is CVE-2026-1992?

CVE-2026-1992 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in smub ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin), published on 11 Mar 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress plugin is vulnerable to Insecure Direct Object Reference in versions 8.6.0 through 9.0.2. This is due to the `store_settings()` method in the `ExactMetrics_Onboarding` class accepting a user-supplied `triggered_by` parameter that is used instead of the current user's ID to check permissions. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with the `exactmetrics_save_settings` capability to bypass the `install_plugins` capability check by specifying an administrator's user ID in the `triggered_by` parameter, allowing them to install arbitrary plugins and achieve Remote Code Execution. This vulnerability only affects sites on which administrator has given other user types the permission to view reports and can only be exploited by users of that type.

Weakness: CWE-639 (Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-1992?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-1992?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-1992 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-1992 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-1992 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-1992 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-1992 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in smub ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin), published on 11 Mar 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-2026-1992 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: smub ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin). 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-2026-1992/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-1992/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-1992
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-1992
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-1992

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-1992/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.