Reported vulnerability

Backup and Staging by WP Time Capsule <= 1.22.26 - Missing Authorization to Authenticated (Subscriber+) Sensitive Information Exposure via download_recent_decrypted_file_wptc Function

Q: Which versions of Backup and Staging by WP Time Capsule are affected?

Wordfence lists these affected versions: Start version unspecified, through 1.22.26. Use the version checker above to compare your installed release with this report.

Q: Is a fix available for Backup and Staging by WP Time Capsule?

Wordfence reports a fix for this issue in Backup and Staging by WP Time Capsule. It lists these fixed versions: 1.22.27. Back up your website and test the recommended update before applying it to your live site.

Q: Where can I find my installed plugin version?

In WordPress, open Plugins > Installed Plugins and find the version shown beneath the plugin name.

Published 8 Jul 2026

Updated 9 Jul 2026

CVE-2026-8996

Compare your installed software with the affected versions below. Follow the source’s remediation guidance and test an available update after taking a backup. A database entry describes a reported issue; it does not establish whether a particular website has been compromised.

Does this affect my version?

Check your installed version against this advisory. This compares the report’s version ranges and does not scan your website.

Wordfence advisory

medium · CVSS 6.5

The Backup and Staging by WP Time Capsule plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Sensitive Information Exposure in all versions up to, and including, 1.22.26 via the download_recent_decrypted_file_wptc. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level access and above, to extract download the most recently admin-decrypted SQL database backup, which typically contains password hashes, user credentials, and other sensitive site configuration data stored in the 'recent_decrypted_file' option. Exploitation requires that an administrator has previously performed a decrypt action, causing the decrypted SQL backup file to exist in the plugin's upload directory; without this prior admin action, there is no file to serve.

Severity vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Backup and Staging by WP Time Capsule

Software: plugin · wp-time-capsule
Affected versions: Start version unspecified, through 1.22.26
Fix availability: Fix available
Fixed versions: 1.22.27

Recommended action

Update to version 1.22.27, or a newer patched version

Further references (1)

wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/f7c39d66-f1e1-4d41-a9e4-984aec3f37dc?source=api-prod

Data sources and licences

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CVE Usage: MITRE hereby grants you a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free, irrevocable copyright license to reproduce, prepare derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, sublicense, and distribute Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE®). Any copy you make for such purposes is authorized provided that you reproduce MITRE's copyright designation and this license in any such copy.

Read licence terms

Source: Wordfence

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Questions about this vulnerability

Which versions of Backup and Staging by WP Time Capsule are affected?

Wordfence lists these affected versions: Start version unspecified, through 1.22.26. Use the version checker above to compare your installed release with this report.

Is a fix available for Backup and Staging by WP Time Capsule?

Wordfence reports a fix for this issue in Backup and Staging by WP Time Capsule. It lists these fixed versions: 1.22.27. Back up your website and test the recommended update before applying it to your live site.

Where can I find my installed plugin version?

In WordPress, open Plugins > Installed Plugins and find the version shown beneath the plugin name.

Does an affected version mean my website has been hacked?

An affected version means the installed release matches a vulnerability described in this report. It does not show whether anyone has exploited it on your website. The checker compares version numbers with stored reports; it does not inspect your website.

These reports cover at least one of the same plugins, themes or WordPress core. Check each report’s affected versions separately.

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