{"dataType": "CVE_RECORD", "dataVersion": "5.2", "cveMetadata": {"cveId": "CVE-2026-16149", "assignerOrgId": "b15e7b5b-3da4-40ae-a43c-f7aa60e62599", "state": "PUBLISHED", "assignerShortName": "Wordfence", "dateReserved": "2026-07-17T18:41:15.726Z", "datePublished": "2026-08-22T23:27:18.750Z", "dateUpdated": "2026-08-22T23:27:18.750Z"}, "containers": {"cna": {"providerMetadata": {"orgId": "b15e7b5b-3da4-40ae-a43c-f7aa60e62599", "shortName": "Wordfence", "dateUpdated": "2026-08-22T23:27:18.750Z"}, "affected": [{"vendor": "marc4", "product": "Security Hardener", "versions": [{"version": "0", "status": "affected", "lessThanOrEqual": "2.4.4", "versionType": "semver"}], "defaultStatus": "unaffected"}], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "The Security Hardener plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Missing Authorization in all versions up to, and including, 2.4.4. The vulnerability exists because the plugin's user-enumeration protection, which is enabled by default, hooks the rest_endpoints filter via secure_user_endpoints() and overwrites every registered handler's permission_callback on both the /wp/v2/users and /wp/v2/users/(?P<id>[\\d]+) routes \u2014 including POST, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE handlers \u2014 with a bare closure that returns only is_user_logged_in(), completely stripping WordPress Core's original capability checks such as create_users, promote_user, edit_users, and delete_users that WP_REST_Users_Controller normally enforces. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with Subscriber-level access and above to create new Administrator accounts by sending POST request to /wp/v2/users with administrator role, or to reset an existing Administrator's password by issuing a PUT/POST request to /wp/v2/users/<id>. Because the block_user_enum option defaults to enabled, no special plugin configuration is required \u2014 the overwrite is active on every request as soon as the plugin is installed."}], "title": "Security Hardener <= 2.4.4 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) Privilege Escalation via REST API '/wp/v2/users' permission_callback Overwrite", "references": [{"url": "https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/64f1a71f-e210-4191-bfb4-56f8568180ed?source=cve"}, {"url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/security-hardener/tags/2.4.4/security-hardener.php#L107"}, {"url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/security-hardener/tags/2.4.4/security-hardener.php#L180"}, {"url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/security-hardener/tags/2.4.4/security-hardener.php#L204"}, {"url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/security-hardener/tags/2.4.4/security-hardener.php#L428"}, {"url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/security-hardener/tags/2.4.4/security-hardener.php#L433"}, {"url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/security-hardener/tags/2.4.4/security-hardener.php#L439"}, {"url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3630896/security-hardener"}], "problemTypes": [{"descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "description": "CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management", "cweId": "CWE-269", "type": "CWE"}]}], "metrics": [{"cvssV3_1": {"version": "3.1", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H", "baseScore": 8.8, "baseSeverity": "HIGH"}}], "credits": [{"lang": "en", "type": "finder", "value": "zickzick2"}], "timeline": [{"time": "2026-08-22T11:09:38.000Z", "lang": "en", "value": "Disclosed"}]}}}

{}

{"affected": [{"affectedData": [{"defaultStatus": "unaffected", "product": "Security Hardener", "vendor": "marc4", "versions": [{"lessThanOrEqual": "2.4.4", "status": "affected", "version": "0", "versionType": "semver"}]}], "source": "security@wordfence.com"}], "cveTags": [], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "The Security Hardener plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Missing Authorization in all versions up to, and including, 2.4.4. The vulnerability exists because the plugin's user-enumeration protection, which is enabled by default, hooks the rest_endpoints filter via secure_user_endpoints() and overwrites every registered handler's permission_callback on both the /wp/v2/users and /wp/v2/users/(?P<id>[\\d]+) routes \u2014 including POST, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE handlers \u2014 with a bare closure that returns only is_user_logged_in(), completely stripping WordPress Core's original capability checks such as create_users, promote_user, edit_users, and delete_users that WP_REST_Users_Controller normally enforces. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with Subscriber-level access and above to create new Administrator accounts by sending POST request to /wp/v2/users with administrator role, or to reset an existing Administrator's password by issuing a PUT/POST request to /wp/v2/users/<id>. Because the block_user_enum option defaults to enabled, no special plugin configuration is required \u2014 the overwrite is active on every request as soon as the plugin is installed."}], "id": "CVE-2026-16149", "lastModified": "2026-08-23T00:16:50.233", "metrics": {"cvssMetricV31": [{"cvssData": {"attackComplexity": "LOW", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "baseScore": 8.8, "baseSeverity": "HIGH", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "privilegesRequired": "LOW", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "userInteraction": "NONE", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H", "version": "3.1"}, "exploitabilityScore": 2.8, "impactScore": 5.9, "source": "security@wordfence.com", "type": "Primary"}]}, "published": "2026-08-23T00:16:50.233", "references": [{"source": "security@wordfence.com", "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/security-hardener/tags/2.4.4/security-hardener.php#L107"}, {"source": "security@wordfence.com", "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/security-hardener/tags/2.4.4/security-hardener.php#L180"}, {"source": "security@wordfence.com", "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/security-hardener/tags/2.4.4/security-hardener.php#L204"}, {"source": "security@wordfence.com", "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/security-hardener/tags/2.4.4/security-hardener.php#L428"}, {"source": "security@wordfence.com", "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/security-hardener/tags/2.4.4/security-hardener.php#L433"}, {"source": "security@wordfence.com", "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/security-hardener/tags/2.4.4/security-hardener.php#L439"}, {"source": "security@wordfence.com", "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3630896/security-hardener"}, {"source": "security@wordfence.com", "url": "https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/64f1a71f-e210-4191-bfb4-56f8568180ed?source=cve"}], "sourceIdentifier": "security@wordfence.com", "vulnStatus": "Received", "weaknesses": [{"description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-269"}], "source": "security@wordfence.com", "type": "Primary"}]}

{}

{"affected": [{"configurations": [{"platform": null, "status": "affected", "versions": {"scheme": "semver", "value": "[0,2.4.4]"}}], "enrichment": {"confidence": 100.0, "confidence_source": "cna", "scores": [{"score": 100.0, "source": "cna"}]}, "original": {"product": "Security Hardener", "source": "cna", "vendor": "marc4"}, "product": "security_hardener", "vendor": "marc4"}, {"configurations": [{"platform": null, "status": "unaffected", "versions": null}], "enrichment": {"confidence": 80.0, "confidence_source": "inferred", "scores": [{"score": 80.0, "source": "inferred"}, {"score": 100.0, "source": "matching"}]}, "product": "wordpress", "vendor": "wordpress"}], "created": "2026-08-23T00:30:17.626980+00:00", "updated": "2026-08-23T16:39:57.092301+00:00", "vendors": ["marc4", "marc4$PRODUCT$security_hardener", "wordpress", "wordpress$PRODUCT$wordpress"]}