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mediumRemote Code Execpublic exploit

CVE-2026-16779

CVE-2026-16779 — Kubio AI Page Builder <= 2.8.5 - Missing Authorization to Authenticated (Contributor+) Front-Page/Menu/Template Configuration Reversion via kubio_restore_front_page AJAX Action

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.

Published Updated Sources: NVD, extendthemes (CNA), GitHub, GitHub Security Advisory, SOCRadar CTI

Triage

Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the scoring sources call it.

Exploitation

Exploit code

public exploit, none observed

EPSS

0%

ahead of 0% of scored CVEs

Affects

extendthemes

Kubio AI Page Builder

CVSS base

4.3

medium

Remediation

The vendor's own words where we have them.

Upgrade Kubio AI Page Builder to a fixed release. Apply vendor patches per advisory and restrict external exposure of the affected component until patched.

First 24 hours

Ordered from the record's own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found.

  • Identify exposed assets running affected vendor/product/version combinations.
  • Prioritize based on EPSS, PoC availability, and external exposure.
  • Search available logs for exploit probes, errors, authentication anomalies, or suspicious child processes matching the vulnerability class.

Affected scope

Vendor, product and version as the advisories word them.

VendorProductVersionsStatus
extendthemesKubio AI Page Builder0 to <= 2.8.5Vulnerable

Attack characteristics

The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.

Availability

None

Confidentiality

None

Integrity

Low

Scope

Unchanged

Attack Complexity

Low

Attack Vector

Network

Privileges Req

Low

User Interaction

None

Every base score collected

Sources score independently and disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.

ScoreVersionSeverityExpl.ImpactSource
4.3CVSS 3.1medium2.81.4NVD, extendthemes (CNA), GHSA

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

What this weakness leads to

MITRE's own consequences and mitigations for the weakness class — the authority's wording, not guidance derived from the CVSS vector.

MITRE

CWE-862 · Missing Authorization

  • Read Application Data
  • Read Files or Directories
  • Modify Application Data
  • Modify Files or Directories

Mitigation: Divide the software into anonymous, normal, privileged, and administrative areas. Reduce the attack surface by carefully mapping roles with data and functionality. Use role-based access control (RBAC) [REF-229] to enforce the roles at the appropriate boundaries. Note that this approach may not protect against horizontal authorization, i.e., it will not protect a user from attacking others with the same role.

Weakness & attack patterns

  • CWE-862

Inferred from the weakness class — not observed against this CVE.

CAPEC-242 · Code InjectionCAPEC-35 · Leverage Executable Code in Non-Executable Files
  • T1211Exploitation for Defensive Evasion
  • T1542.002Pre-OS Boot: Component Firmware
  • T1556Modify Authentication Process

Public exploit

Capability, not use: code existing is a different claim from anyone running it.

Repositories

1

Detection

Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not rules we have tested.

  • Prioritize edge telemetry for network-reachable Kubio AI Page Builder.
  • Monitor for scanner or exploit-pattern traffic after 1 public PoC repositories were reported.
web/proxy/WAF logsapplication logsnetwork IDS/IPSEDR process telemetryhost service logs

Timeline

What happened to this CVE, newest first — with the readings a source repeats on a schedule counted underneath rather than listed.

  1. 2026

  2. Added · CVSS 3.1 4.3 (AV:N)

    Aug 16, 2026 · NVD

  3. Initial · CVE published

    Aug 16, 2026 · NVD

  4. Added · GHSA-mxh6-wmv3-9hg9 published (medium)

    Aug 16, 2026 · GitHub Security Advisory

  5. Reported · Disclosed

    Aug 15, 2026 · extendthemes

  6. Reported · Vendor Notified

    Jul 23, 2026 · extendthemes

Source activity

Readings a source repeats on a schedule, counted rather than listed.

  • 1×CVE modified by NIST, Modified, LinkAug 16, 2026 · SOCRadar CTI

References

8 on the record

Elsewhere on this site

Not in any source we poll

Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.

  • No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
  • No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
  • No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record1

What should defenders know first?

CVE-2026-16779 is Kubio AI Page Builder <= 2.8.5 - Missing Authorization to Authenticated (Contributor+) Front-Page/Menu/Template Configuration Reversion via kubio_restore_front_page AJAX Action, a medium vulnerability affecting Kubio AI Page Builder from extendthemes. The current evidence does not list it in CISA KEV, and the exploit status is: Active exploitation is not confirmed from current sources for CVE-2026-16779. Public exploit evidence is: 1 public PoC repositories reported; 0 marked weaponized in current dataset. The affected-version evidence is listed in the key facts and affected products tables. Defenders should first verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run those versions, then apply vendor patches or mitigations, restrict reachable attack surface, and preserve logs for detection review. CVSS 4.3 describes technical severity, while EPSS 0% helps estimate near-term exploit likelihood; neither replaces asset context. Unknown fields should remain explicit in tickets, and threat actor, IOC, victimology, or payload claims should not be added unless a cited source supports them. Monitor CISA KEV, vendor advisories, NVD changes, public PoC repositories, and internal telemetry for update triggers.