CVE-2026-16258Network attack vector

Unauthenticated PHP object injection via statistics phrases

Published Aug 7, 2026 · Updated Aug 7, 2026

PHP object injection in WPDreams Ajax Search Lite before 4.14.5 allows remote attackers to instantiate objects through a REST request. The public statistics/searches/add route passes attacker-controlled phrase values through StatisticsService into Str::anyToString, which calls maybe_unserialize on top-level strings. No authentication is required; code execution requires a compatible PHP gadget chain from another installed plugin or theme.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability0.47%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

PHP object injection in WPDreams Ajax Search Lite before 4.14.5 allows remote attackers to instantiate objects through a REST request. The public statistics/searches/add route passes attacker-controlled phrase values through StatisticsService into Str::anyToString, which calls maybe_unserialize on top-level strings. No authentication is required; code execution requires a compatible PHP gadget chain from another installed plugin or theme.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-16258
Published
Aug 7, 2026
Updated
Aug 7, 2026
Vendor
Ernest Marcinko
Product
Ajax Search Lite
Classifications
CWE-502, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 7, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 7, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <4.14.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Ernest Marcinko · Ajax Search Liteversion=0 <4.14.5

Published CVSS scores

9.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-502Deserialization of Untrusted Data
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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