CVE-2026-12949

Status: DeferredCritical (9.8)—

The Wishlist Member plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Account Takeover via Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity in versions up to and including 3.34.1. This is due to the wpm_register() function validating the registration cookie only against the GET reg parameter while accepting the POST mergewith and POST wpm_id parameters without verifying that the mergewith user ID references a temporary or incomplete registrant that is bound to the current registration transaction.

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This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to take over any existing WordPress account — including administrator accounts — by supplying an arbitrary user's numeric ID as the mergewith value, which causes wp_update_user() to overwrite the target account's username (additionally written via a direct $wpdb UPDATE), password, email address, first name, and last name with attacker-controlled values, while WordPress password and email change notification emails are explicitly suppressed. When wpm_id references a non-existent membership level, no role key is added to the update payload, causing wp_update_user() to preserve the target user's existing role — including administrator — making full privilege escalation a direct consequence of the takeover.

CVSS

Version: 3.1
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Base score: 9.8

Exploitation probability (EPSS)

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.53%
Percentile among all scored CVEs: 43
Score date: 10/5/2026

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST) estimates how likely a vulnerability is to be exploited in the wild within 30 days. It complements CVSS (impact) and CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).

🎯 ATT&CK techniques

How this vulnerability is exploited and what the attacker gains, in MITRE ATT&CK terms.

ExploitationT1190 Exploit Public-Facing Applicationinitial access95 %
Primary impactT1098.002 Additional Email Delegate Permissionspersistence · privilege escalation95 %
Secondary impactT1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalationprivilege escalation85 %
Secondary impactT1078.001 Default Accountsstealth · persistence · privilege escalation · initial access90 %

Vulnerabilidad de validación insuficiente en aplicación web expuesta (N/AC:L/PR:N) que permite toma de cuenta y escalada de privilegios sin autenticación previa; atacante modifica credenciales de usuario administrativo.

Inferred by our analysis agent from the official description, CVSS vector and CWE, and checked by a supervisor. May contain errors.

🛡️ ATT&CK mitigations that cover these techniques

Privileged Account Management Multi-factor Authentication Application Isolation and Sandboxing Exploit Protection Update Software Vulnerability Scanning

Affected technologies (1)

⚠ AI-inferred from the description — NVD hasn't analyzed this CVE yet, these aren't verified CPEs.

Wishlistmember — Wishlist Member^AI

CWEs

CWE-640

References

Raw JSON (NVD)

Show

{
  "id": "CVE-2026-12949",
  "cveTags": [],
  "metrics": {
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      {
        "source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
        "ssvcData": {
          "id": "CVE-2026-12949",
          "role": "CISA Coordinator",
          "options": [
            {
              "exploitation": "none"
            },
            {
              "automatable": "yes"
            },
            {
              "technicalImpact": "total"
            }
          ],
          "version": "2.0.3",
          "timestamp": "2026-08-14T14:58:49.692800Z"
        }
      }
    ],
    "cvssMetricV31": [
      {
        "type": "Secondary",
        "source": "security@wordfence.com",
        "cvssData": {
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "version": "3.1",
          "baseScore": 9.8,
          "attackVector": "NETWORK",
          "baseSeverity": "CRITICAL",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
          "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
          "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
          "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH"
        },
        "impactScore": 5.9,
        "exploitabilityScore": 3.9
      }
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  },
  "affected": [
    {
      "source": "security@wordfence.com",
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "vendor": "Wishlist Member",
          "product": "Wishlist Member",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "semver",
              "lessThanOrEqual": "3.34.1"
            }
          ],
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  "published": "2026-08-14T06:16:53.237",
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "https://wishlistmember.com/",
      "source": "security@wordfence.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/84afe5a7-1bf4-4b83-bf77-efbb003a30cd?source=cve",
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    }
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    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "The Wishlist Member plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Account Takeover via Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity in versions up to and including 3.34.1. This is due to the wpm_register() function validating the registration cookie only against the GET reg parameter while accepting the POST mergewith and POST wpm_id parameters without verifying that the mergewith user ID references a temporary or incomplete registrant that is bound to the current registration transaction. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to take over any existing WordPress account — including administrator accounts — by supplying an arbitrary user's numeric ID as the mergewith value, which causes wp_update_user() to overwrite the target account's username (additionally written via a direct $wpdb UPDATE), password, email address, first name, and last name with attacker-controlled values, while WordPress password and email change notification emails are explicitly suppressed. When wpm_id references a non-existent membership level, no role key is added to the update payload, causing wp_update_user() to preserve the target user's existing role — including administrator — making full privilege escalation a direct consequence of the takeover."
    }
  ],
  "lastModified": "2026-08-14T19:09:56.813",
  "sourceIdentifier": "security@wordfence.com"
}