# CVE-2026-16590: WP Directory Kit missing authorization in contact message AJAX

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-16590-wp-directory-kit-missing-authorization-in-contact-message-ajax  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-08-08. Updated: 2026-09-25  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-16590 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6.5 · Published 2026-08-08

WP Directory Kit is a WordPress plugin for creating business directories. The plugin fails to properly verify permissions on a contact message retrieval function, allowing any logged-in user to see private messages and sensitive contact data (email addresses, phone numbers, names) belonging to other users. This undermines data privacy and could expose confidential business or personal information stored through the plugin.

Technologies: [WP Directory Kit](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/wp-directory-kit). Vendors: [WP Directory Kit](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/wp-directory-kit).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-16590 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-16590 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-16590?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.5, published 8 August 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** WP Directory Kit before 1.5.5.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-16590?** A patch was published on 2026-08-03: Fixed in version 1.5.5 Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-16590 attacked?** It is attacked over the network.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-16590?** Check whether you run WP Directory Kit at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

The vulnerability is a missing authorization check (CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information) in an authenticated AJAX action. The wdk_admin_action AJAX endpoint with page=wdk_messages and function=index does not verify user role, capability, or nonce tokens before returning contact message data. An attacker with any authenticated WordPress account (e.g., Subscriber role) can POST directly to admin-ajax.php and retrieve all stored messages with sender email, message content, and listing owner details. The flaw affects versions before 1.5.5 and is fixed in that release. No special privileges or interactions are required beyond account access.

## Affected products

- WP Directory Kit WP Directory Kit before 1.5.5

## Timeline

- 2026-08-03: disclosed
- 2026-08-08: advisory: CVE-2026-16590 published
- 2026-08-03: patched: Fixed in version 1.5.5

## References

- [https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/ddf13b08-4ee2-46a1-929c-1f435e9e49d4/](https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/ddf13b08-4ee2-46a1-929c-1f435e9e49d4/)

## Related threats

- [WP Directory Kit SQL injection in order parameter](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-118421-the-wp-directory-kit-wordpress-plugin-before-1-6-3-does-not)
- [WP Directory Kit SQL injection via main_field parameter](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-118420-the-wp-directory-kit-wordpress-plugin-before-1-6-3-does-not)
- [WP Directory Kit unauthenticated data disclosure](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-118418-the-wp-directory-kit-wordpress-plugin-before-1-6-3-does-not)
- [WP Directory Kit SQL injection in idfield parameter](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-109197-the-wp-directory-kit-plugin-for-wordpress-is-vulnerable-to)
- [WP Directory Kit SQL injection in data_fields_list parameter](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-16596-the-wp-directory-kit-plugin-for-wordpress-is-vulnerable-to)