# CVE-2026-17540: File Manager - Improper Access Control

> Live exploitation tracking for CVE-2026-17540 by the CrowdSec Live Exploit Tracker, built from real-world attack data crowdsourced from CrowdSec's global network.

Page: https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2026-17540

## Key facts

- **Exploitation phase:** Limited Exploitation. The vulnerability is known but shows very limited attacker interest or exploitation activity.
- **CVSS score:** 8.8
- **Public exploit available:** Yes
- **Affected products:** Bit Apps File Manager
- **Weaknesses:** CWE-284 (Improper Access Control)
- **Tags:** wordpress, cms

## Description

The File Manager WordPress plugin before 6.9.1 does not properly authorise its file management commands, allowing any authenticated user, such as a subscriber, to read and delete arbitrary files under the WordPress installation directory, which could lead to the disclosure of the site's configuration secrets and to denial of service.

## CrowdSec analysis

[CVE-2026-17540](https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/CVE-2026-17540) is a high-severity access control vulnerability in the File Manager WordPress plugin before version 6.9.1. Any authenticated user, including a subscriber, may be able to read or delete arbitrary files in the WordPress installation directory, exposing configuration secrets or causing denial of service.

CrowdSec has been tracking this vulnerability and its exploits since 26th of October 2026.

CrowdSec has not observed any significant exploitation activity targeting CVE-2026-17540 across its network. As a result, no community-driven trend analysis is available for this vulnerability at this time.

Attackers authenticate to WordPress, retrieve a REST nonce from `/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?action=rest-nonce`, then target `/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?action=bitapps_fm_connector` with `cmd=file` and a crafted `target` parameter to read files such as `wp-config.php`.

## Timeline

- 2026-08-10: CVE Published. CVE-2026-17540 is published to NVD.
- 2026-10-26: Rule Released. CrowdSec releases a rule to detect CVE-2026-17540 exploitation attempts against the CrowdSec Network.

## References

- https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/096cb7df-26a5-4f5f-bbec-725e063a2b75/
- https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/cves/2026/CVE-2026-17540.yaml

## Live exploitation data

The [Live Exploit Tracker page](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2026-17540) follows observed exploitation activity for CVE-2026-17540. [Request an API key](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/request-api-key) for full access to its exploitation timeline, attacking IP addresses and blocklists.