Affected versions: ≥ 5.0.0 and < 5.2.1
Full advisory: our disclosure post
CVE-2026-97160CriticalCVSS 9.4CVE published 26 September 2026Added to mySites.guru 26 September 2026
UP Universal Plugin (plg_content_up) 5.0.0 to 6.0.29 - Unauthenticated Remote Code Installation, File Read, SQL Injection and PHP Injection
UP (the Universal Plugin for Joomla, plg_content_up) versions 5.0.0 to 6.0.29 have several flaws found and reported by mySites.guru. Unauthenticated: a request to Joomla's AJAX endpoint could trigger installation of action code from GitHub with TLS checks disabled (CVE-2026-97163, CVSS 4.0 10.0), read arbitrary files including configuration.php and create files outside the intended folder (CVE-2026-97161, 9.2), plus SQL injection vectors (CVE-2026-97162, 8.3). The PHP and SQL actions reserved to administrators could be reached by article authors through action-name variants (PHP command injection, CVE-2026-97160, 9.4). Fixed in UP 6.1.0 (Joomla 5.2 to 6.x) and UP 5.2.1 (Joomla 3.10 to 5.1), released 26 Sep 2026. Update to the fixed release for your Joomla version; if you cannot, disable the plugin. Check the plugin folder for action directories or PHP files you did not add.
Is my site affected?
CVE-2026-97160 is checked by 2 rules. Find the extension and release line your site runs:
| Extension | Affected versions | Fixed in | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| UP Universal Plugin | from 5.0.0 up to but not including 5.2.1 | 5.2.1 | Update UP Universal Plugin to 5.2.1 or later. |
| UP Universal Plugin | from 6.0.0 up to but not including 6.1.0 | 6.1.0 | Update UP Universal Plugin to 6.1.0 or later. |
How CVE-2026-97160 is scored
The base metrics as Joomla CNA published them, and what each one means for a site running an affected version. Threat and environmental metrics are left out: they describe a moment or a particular install rather than the flaw.
9.4 Critical
CVSS 4.0, scored by Joomla CNACVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:HHow it is reached
- AV:N Attack vector
- Network. Reachable across the internet
- AC:L Attack complexity
- Low. Nothing to work around, it just works
- AT:N Attack requirements
- None. Works against any affected install
- PR:H Privileges required
- High. Needs an account with elevated rights
- UI:N User interaction
- None. Nobody has to be tricked into anything
What it does to the site
- VC:H Confidentiality
- High. Everything the site holds can be read
- VI:H Integrity
- High. Data and files can be altered at will
- VA:H Availability
- High. The site can be taken down
What it does beyond the site
- SC:H Confidentiality
- High. Data on other systems can be read
- SI:H Integrity
- High. Other systems can be altered
- SA:H Availability
- High. Other systems can be taken down
Timeline
- 26 September 2026CVE-2026-97160 record published by its CNA
- 26 September 2026mySites.guru check added for UP Universal Plugin (from 5.0.0 up to but not including 5.2.1)
- 26 September 2026mySites.guru check added for UP Universal Plugin (from 6.0.0 up to but not including 6.1.0)
- 26 September 2026We published: UP 6.1.0 fixes file read and code execution in the UP plugin for Joomla
Rule details
UP Universal Plugin - UP Universal Plugin (plg_content_up) 5.0.0 to 6.0.29 - Unauthenticated Remote Code Installation, File Read, SQL Injection and PHP Injection
UP (the Universal Plugin for Joomla, plg_content_up) versions 5.0.0 to 6.0.29 have several flaws found and reported by mySites.guru. Unauthenticated: a request to Joomla's AJAX endpoint could trigger installation of action code from GitHub with TLS checks disabled (CVE-2026-97163, CVSS 4.0 10.0), read arbitrary files including configuration.php and create files outside the intended folder (CVE-2026-97161, 9.2), plus SQL injection vectors (CVE-2026-97162, 8.3). The PHP and SQL actions reserved to administrators could be reached by article authors through action-name variants (PHP command injection, CVE-2026-97160, 9.4). Fixed in UP 6.1.0 (Joomla 5.2 to 6.x) and UP 5.2.1 (Joomla 3.10 to 5.1), released 26 Sep 2026. Update to the fixed release for your Joomla version; if you cannot, disable the plugin. Check the plugin folder for action directories or PHP files you did not add.
Affected versions: ≥ 6.0.0 and < 6.1.0
Full advisory: our disclosure post
Our disclosure post
Other vulnerabilities in UP Universal Plugin
Updating for CVE-2026-97160 alone can leave a site on a release another rule still matches. These are the other flaws we check for in the same extension.
UP Universal Plugin
Latest safe version: 6.1.0
- CVE-2026-97161 Critical, from 5.0.0 up to but not including 5.2.1
- CVE-2026-97162 Critical, from 5.0.0 up to but not including 5.2.1
- CVE-2026-97163 Critical, from 5.0.0 up to but not including 5.2.1
References
- CVE-2026-97160 on cve.org (the official CVE record)
- CVE-2026-97160 in the NIST National Vulnerability Database
- UP 6.1.0 fixes file read and code execution in the UP plugin for Joomla
CVE-2026-97160 questions
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-97160?
CVE-2026-97160 is covered by 2 rules: UP Universal Plugin from 5.0.0 up to but not including 5.2.1; UP Universal Plugin from 6.0.0 up to but not including 6.1.0.
How do I fix CVE-2026-97160?
It depends on the extension and release line your site runs. For UP Universal Plugin from 5.0.0 up to but not including 5.2.1: update UP Universal Plugin to 5.2.1 or later. For UP Universal Plugin from 6.0.0 up to but not including 6.1.0: update UP Universal Plugin to 6.1.0 or later.
How severe is CVE-2026-97160?
Joomla CNA scores it 9.4 (Critical) under CVSS 4.0. In plain terms: reachable across the internet, needs an account with elevated rights and nobody has to be tricked into anything.
Running an affected version on a site you manage?
A free audit tells you which of your Joomla and WordPress sites run an affected version, which are out of date, and which have not been backed up. No card required. If a site is already compromised, fix.mysites.guru is a single fixed fee per incident, usually resolved the same day.
This check is part of the mySites.guru Joomla vulnerability scanner, which reads every installed extension's version on each audit. Browse the rest of the Joomla vulnerability database.
Rules current as of 17 October 2026.