CVE-2026-1993 Privilege escalation in ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin)
Authenticated users with settings access can escalate privileges by modifying plugin settings to grant administrative access to all subscribers.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2026-1993?
CVE-2026-1993 is a high-severity 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 Improper Privilege Management in versions 7.1.0 through 9.0.2. This is due to the `update_settings()` function accepting arbitrary plugin setting names without a whitelist of allowed settings. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with the `exactmetrics_save_settings` capability to modify any plugin setting, including the `save_settings` option that controls which user roles have access to plugin functionality. The admin intended to delegate configuration access to a trusted user, not enable that user to delegate access to everyone. By setting `save_settings` to include `subscriber`, an attacker can grant plugin administrative access to all subscribers on the site.
Weakness: CWE-269
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-1993?
How do I fix CVE-2026-1993?
No fix has been published for CVE-2026-1993 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Is CVE-2026-1993 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-1993 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-qx8g-xvp8-5cmp.