Auth bypass in Smub Exactmetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard For WordPress (Website Stats Plugin)

CVE-2026-5464

The ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin) plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized arbitrary plugin installation and activation in all versions up to, and including, 9.1.2. This is due to the reports page exposing the 'onboarding_key' transient to any user with the 'exactmetrics_view_dashboard' capability. This key is the sole authorization gate for the '/wp-json/exactmetrics/v1/onboarding/connect-url' REST endpoint, which returns a one-time hash (OTH) token. This OTH token is then the only credential checked by the 'exactmetrics_connect_process' AJAX endpoint — which has no capability check, no nonce verification, and accepts an arbitrary plugin ZIP URL via the file parameter for installation and activation. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Editor-level access and above granted the report viewing permission, to install and activate arbitrary plugins from attacker-controlled URLs, leading to Remote Code Execution.

Vulnerability class: Broken Access Control

Published · last modified .

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 7.2 (High). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.

EPSS exploit prediction

EPSS: 0.010 (61.3th percentile), scored .

Very low probability of exploitation in the next 30 days; routine patching cadence is appropriate. 61st percentile — 61.3% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.

EPSS trend (30 days)EPSS over the last 30 days for CVE-2026-5464: held from 0.007 to 0.010.

EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.007 · newest: 0.010 · change: +0.003

Affected products

Weakness classification (CWE)

References

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-5464?
CVE-2026-5464 is a high-severity vulnerability in Smub Exactmetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard For WordPress (Website Stats Plugin), classified under Missing Authorization. CVSS score: 7.2/10. Published 2026-04-23.
How severe is CVE-2026-5464?
High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 7.2 out of 10.