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CVE-2026-75927 (GCVE-0-2026-75927)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-09-09 07:40 – Updated: 2026-09-09 07:40
VLAI
Title
PublishPress Capabilities <= 2.50.0 - Authenticated (Editor+) Privilege Escalation to Fresh-Install Default Capability Grant
Summary
The PublishPress Capabilities – User Role Editor, Access Permissions, User Capabilities, Admin Menus plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 2.50.0. This is due to the `addPluginCapabilities()` function unconditionally granting the Editor role all 15 `manage_capabilities_*` capabilities — including `manage_capabilities`, `manage_capabilities_roles`, `manage_capabilities_settings`, and `manage_capabilities_backup` — via a hard-coded `$eligible_roles = ['administrator', 'editor']` assignment that runs automatically on the first `admin_init` after plugin activation with no administrator opt-in, persisting the grants directly to the database. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with Editor-level access to elevate their privileges to a site-wide capability manager, enabling them to create, rename, and delete non-system roles, modify capabilities of non-administrator roles, restore role backups, and write arbitrary plugin options whose names begin with `cme_`, `capsman`, `pp_capabilities`, or `presspermit` via `update_option()`. The escalation stops short of full Administrator access, as WordPress's `map_meta_cap` layer still prevents the escalated Editor from granting administrator-only capabilities to other roles; however, all role-management and plugin-settings functionality gated solely on `manage_capabilities_*` capabilities remains fully accessible.
Severity
7.2 (High)
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CWE
  • CWE-269 - Improper Privilege Management
Assigner
References
Impacted products
Credits
Wordfence PRISM
Show details on NVD website
To clipboard 

{
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      "affected": [
        {
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          "product": "User Role Editor \u2013 PublishPress Capabilities: Access Control and User Roles",
          "vendor": "publishpress",
          "versions": [
            {
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              "status": "affected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "semver"
            }
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      ],
      "credits": [
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          "lang": "en",
          "type": "finder",
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        }
      ],
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          "value": "The PublishPress Capabilities \u2013 User Role Editor, Access Permissions, User Capabilities, Admin Menus plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 2.50.0. This is due to the `addPluginCapabilities()` function unconditionally granting the Editor role all 15 `manage_capabilities_*` capabilities \u2014 including `manage_capabilities`, `manage_capabilities_roles`, `manage_capabilities_settings`, and `manage_capabilities_backup` \u2014 via a hard-coded `$eligible_roles = [\u0027administrator\u0027, \u0027editor\u0027]` assignment that runs automatically on the first `admin_init` after plugin activation with no administrator opt-in, persisting the grants directly to the database. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with Editor-level access to elevate their privileges to a site-wide capability manager, enabling them to create, rename, and delete non-system roles, modify capabilities of non-administrator roles, restore role backups, and write arbitrary plugin options whose names begin with `cme_`, `capsman`, `pp_capabilities`, or `presspermit` via `update_option()`. The escalation stops short of full Administrator access, as WordPress\u0027s `map_meta_cap` layer still prevents the escalated Editor from granting administrator-only capabilities to other roles; however, all role-management and plugin-settings functionality gated solely on `manage_capabilities_*` capabilities remains fully accessible."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
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        "orgId": "b15e7b5b-3da4-40ae-a43c-f7aa60e62599",
        "shortName": "Wordfence"
      },
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          "url": "https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/2f35ab5c-f897-404b-92ea-71bf1c98e0c0?source=cve"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/capability-manager-enhanced/tags/2.50.0/classes/pp-capabilities-installer.php#L78"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/capability-manager-enhanced/tags/2.50.0/includes/admin-load.php#L758"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/capability-manager-enhanced/tags/2.50.0/includes/functions-admin.php#L361"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/capability-manager-enhanced/tags/2.50.0/includes/settings-handler.php#L22"
        },
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          "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/capability-manager-enhanced/tags/2.50.0/includes/manager.php#L1186"
        },
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          "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?reponame=\u0026old=3665572%40capability-manager-enhanced\u0026new=3665572%40capability-manager-enhanced"
        }
      ],
      "timeline": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "time": "2026-08-18T15:54:21.000Z",
          "value": "Vendor Notified"
        },
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "time": "2026-09-08T18:41:31.000Z",
          "value": "Disclosed"
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      ],
      "title": "PublishPress Capabilities \u003c= 2.50.0 - Authenticated (Editor+) Privilege Escalation to Fresh-Install Default Capability Grant"
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "b15e7b5b-3da4-40ae-a43c-f7aa60e62599",
    "assignerShortName": "Wordfence",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-75927",
    "datePublished": "2026-09-09T07:40:56.043Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-08-18T15:39:14.778Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-09-09T07:40:56.043Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "epss": {
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      "date": "2026-09-09",
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      "percentile": "0.27276"
    },
    "nvd": "{\"cve\":{\"id\":\"CVE-2026-75927\",\"sourceIdentifier\":\"security@wordfence.com\",\"published\":\"2026-09-09T08:17:21.997\",\"lastModified\":\"2026-09-09T15:33:34.467\",\"vulnStatus\":\"Deferred\",\"cveTags\":[],\"descriptions\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"The PublishPress Capabilities \u2013 User Role Editor, Access Permissions, User Capabilities, Admin Menus plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 2.50.0. This is due to the `addPluginCapabilities()` function unconditionally granting the Editor role all 15 `manage_capabilities_*` capabilities \u2014 including `manage_capabilities`, `manage_capabilities_roles`, `manage_capabilities_settings`, and `manage_capabilities_backup` \u2014 via a hard-coded `$eligible_roles = [\u0027administrator\u0027, \u0027editor\u0027]` assignment that runs automatically on the first `admin_init` after plugin activation with no administrator opt-in, persisting the grants directly to the database. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with Editor-level access to elevate their privileges to a site-wide capability manager, enabling them to create, rename, and delete non-system roles, modify capabilities of non-administrator roles, restore role backups, and write arbitrary plugin options whose names begin with `cme_`, `capsman`, `pp_capabilities`, or `presspermit` via `update_option()`. The escalation stops short of full Administrator access, as WordPress\u0027s `map_meta_cap` layer still prevents the escalated Editor from granting administrator-only capabilities to other roles; however, all role-management and plugin-settings functionality gated solely on `manage_capabilities_*` capabilities remains fully accessible.\"}],\"affected\":[{\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\",\"affectedData\":[{\"vendor\":\"publishpress\",\"product\":\"User Role Editor \u2013 PublishPress Capabilities: Access Control and User Roles\",\"defaultStatus\":\"unaffected\",\"versions\":[{\"version\":\"0\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"2.50.0\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"affected\"}]}]}],\"metrics\":{\"cvssMetricV31\":[{\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\",\"type\":\"Primary\",\"cvssData\":{\"version\":\"3.1\",\"vectorString\":\"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H\",\"baseScore\":7.2,\"baseSeverity\":\"HIGH\",\"attackVector\":\"NETWORK\",\"attackComplexity\":\"LOW\",\"privilegesRequired\":\"HIGH\",\"userInteraction\":\"NONE\",\"scope\":\"UNCHANGED\",\"confidentialityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"integrityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"availabilityImpact\":\"HIGH\"},\"exploitabilityScore\":1.2,\"impactScore\":5.9}]},\"weaknesses\":[{\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\",\"type\":\"Primary\",\"description\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"CWE-269\"}]}],\"references\":[{\"url\":\"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/capability-manager-enhanced/tags/2.50.0/classes/pp-capabilities-installer.php#L78\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"},{\"url\":\"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/capability-manager-enhanced/tags/2.50.0/includes/admin-load.php#L758\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"},{\"url\":\"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/capability-manager-enhanced/tags/2.50.0/includes/functions-admin.php#L361\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"},{\"url\":\"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/capability-manager-enhanced/tags/2.50.0/includes/manager.php#L1186\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"},{\"url\":\"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/capability-manager-enhanced/tags/2.50.0/includes/settings-handler.php#L22\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"},{\"url\":\"https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?reponame=\u0026old=3665572%40capability-manager-enhanced\u0026new=3665572%40capability-manager-enhanced\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"},{\"url\":\"https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/2f35ab5c-f897-404b-92ea-71bf1c98e0c0?source=cve\",\"source\":\"security@wordfence.com\"}]}}"
  }
}



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Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.

Sightings

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Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
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  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.


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