CVE-2026-5617

Status: DeferredHigh (8.8)—

The Login as User plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 1.0.3. This is due to the handle_return_to_admin() function trusting a client-controlled cookie (oclaup_original_admin) to determine which user to authenticate as, without any server-side verification that the cookie value was legitimately set during an admin-initiated user switch. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to escalate their privileges to administrator by setting the oclaup_original_admin cookie to an administrator's user ID and triggering the "Return to Admin" functionality.

CVSS

Version: 3.1
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Base score: 8.8

Exploitation probability (EPSS)

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.52%
Percentile among all scored CVEs: 42
Score date: 10/4/2026

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.

ExploitationT1210 Exploitation of Remote Serviceslateral movement75 %
Primary impactT1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalationprivilege escalation85 %
Secondary impactT1098.002 Additional Email Delegate Permissionspersistence · privilege escalation70 %

Acceso autenticado en red (PR:L) a plugin WordPress vulnerable por cookie no validada en servidor. Permite escalada a administrador desde cuenta Subscriber, impactando privilegios y control de cuentas.

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

Threat Intelligence Program Privileged Account Management Disable or Remove Feature or Program Application Isolation and Sandboxing Exploit Protection Update Software

Affected technologies (1)

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

CWEs

CWE-639

References

Raw JSON (NVD)

Show

{
  "id": "CVE-2026-5617",
  "cveTags": [],
  "metrics": {
    "ssvcV203": [
      {
        "source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
        "ssvcData": {
          "id": "CVE-2026-5617",
          "role": "CISA Coordinator",
          "options": [
            {
              "exploitation": "none"
            },
            {
              "automatable": "no"
            },
            {
              "technicalImpact": "total"
            }
          ],
          "version": "2.0.3",
          "timestamp": "2026-04-15T13:32:27.091082Z"
        }
      }
    ],
    "cvssMetricV31": [
      {
        "type": "Secondary",
        "source": "security@wordfence.com",
        "cvssData": {
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "version": "3.1",
          "baseScore": 8.8,
          "attackVector": "NETWORK",
          "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
          "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
          "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
          "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH"
        },
        "impactScore": 5.9,
        "exploitabilityScore": 2.8
      }
    ]
  },
  "affected": [
    {
      "source": "security@wordfence.com",
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "vendor": "royalnavneet",
          "product": "Login as User – Switch User & WooCommerce Login as Customer",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "semver",
              "lessThanOrEqual": "1.0.1"
            }
          ],
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "published": "2026-04-15T09:16:33.210",
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/one-click-login-as-user/tags/1.0.3/includes/class-login-handler.php#L45",
      "source": "security@wordfence.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/one-click-login-as-user/tags/1.0.3/includes/class-login-handler.php#L50",
      "source": "security@wordfence.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/one-click-login-as-user/trunk/includes/class-login-handler.php#L45",
      "source": "security@wordfence.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://wordpress.org/plugins/one-click-login-as-user/",
      "source": "security@wordfence.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/c0c74d48-6cfc-4899-bd2c-4a80b1f6e05f?source=cve",
      "source": "security@wordfence.com"
    }
  ],
  "vulnStatus": "Deferred",
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "type": "Secondary",
      "source": "security@wordfence.com",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-639"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "The Login as User plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 1.0.3. This is due to the handle_return_to_admin() function trusting a client-controlled cookie (oclaup_original_admin) to determine which user to authenticate as, without any server-side verification that the cookie value was legitimately set during an admin-initiated user switch. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to escalate their privileges to administrator by setting the oclaup_original_admin cookie to an administrator's user ID and triggering the \"Return to Admin\" functionality."
    }
  ],
  "lastModified": "2026-06-17T10:59:23.023",
  "sourceIdentifier": "security@wordfence.com"
}