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Prevent Direct Access vulnerabilities
Prevent Direct Access has 3 known vulnerabilities in this database. The most recent published record is dated 13 Aug 2026.
- Known vulnerabilities
- 3
- Active installs
- 10,000+
- Latest version
- 2.8.9.1
- Last updated
- 27 Aug 2026
- Most recent
- 13 Aug 2026
Find it in your WordPress dashboard under Plugins. Severity is based on the CVSS score published with the CVE where one is available.
| Vulnerability | Severity | Affected | Fix | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broken access control CVE-2026-3835 | Medium 5.3 | Up to 2.8.8.8 | Fixed in a later version (latest 2.8.9.1) | 13 Aug 2026 |
| Sensitive data exposure CVE-2025-3923 | Medium 5.3 | Up to 2.8.8 | Fixed in a later version (latest 2.8.9.1) | 25 Apr 2025 |
| Broken access control CVE-2025-3861 | Medium 5.4 | Not yet published | Check for an update | 25 Apr 2025 |
Read the published descriptions
- CVE-2026-3835, 13 Aug 2026
- The Prevent Direct Access - Protect WordPress Files plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access of protected files due to insufficient token validation in the `get_advance_file_by_url()` method in all versions up to, and including, 2.8.8.8 The method uses a SQL `LIKE` operator for token lookup without escaping wildcard characters via `$wpdb->esc_like()`. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to bypass the private token requirement by supplying SQL wildcard characters (such as `%`) as the token value, matching any record in the plugin's file table and downloading any protected file. CVE record
- CVE-2025-3923, 25 Apr 2025
- The Prevent Direct Access - Protect WordPress Files plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Sensitive Information Exposure in all versions up to, and including, 2.8.8 via the 'generate_unique_string' due to insufficient randomness of the generated file name. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to extract sensitive data including files protected by the plugin if the attacker can determine the file name. CVE record
- CVE-2025-3861, 25 Apr 2025
- The Prevent Direct Access - Protect WordPress Files plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access and modification of data| due to a misconfigured capability check on the 'pda_lite_custom_permission_check' function in versions 2.8.6 to 2.8.8.2. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Contributor-level access and above, to access and change the protection status of media. CVE record
What to do if you run Prevent Direct Access
If you run Prevent Direct Access, open WordPress and check the installed version in Plugins. Compare it with the affected versions in the vulnerability record. If a fixed version is available, take a current backup and update to that version or the latest supported release.
If no fixed version exists, consider disabling and removing the plugin or replacing it with a maintained alternative. After dealing with the affected software, check administrator users, unexpected file changes, redirects, unfamiliar pages and security logs for signs that the site may already have been altered.
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