CVE-2026-4003

CVE-2026-4003 is a critical-severity vulnerability with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-862.

Key facts

Description

The Users manager – PN plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation via Arbitrary User Meta Update in all versions up to and including 1.1.15. This is due to a flawed authorization logic check in the userspn_ajax_nopriv_server() function within the 'userspn_form_save' case. The conditional only blocks unauthenticated users when the user_id is empty, but when a non-empty user_id is supplied, execution bypasses this check entirely and proceeds to update arbitrary user meta via update_user_meta() without any authentication or authorization verification. Additionally, the nonce required for this AJAX endpoint ('userspn-nonce') is exposed to all visitors via wp_localize_script on the public wp_enqueue_scripts hook, rendering the nonce check ineffective as a security control. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to update arbitrary user metadata for any user account, including the userspn_secret_token field.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-4003?
The Users manager – PN plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation via Arbitrary User Meta Update in all versions up to and including 1.1.15. This is due to a flawed authorization logic check in the userspn_ajax_nopriv_server() function within the 'userspn_form_save' case. The conditional only blocks unauthenticated users when the user_id is empty, but when a non-empty user_id is supplied, execution bypasses this check entirely and proceeds to update arbitrary user meta via update_user_meta() without any authentication or authorization verification. Additionally, the nonce required for this AJAX endpoint ('userspn-nonce') is exposed to all visitors via wp_localize_script on the public wp_enqueue_scripts hook, rendering the nonce check ineffective as a security control. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to update arbitrary user metadata for any user account, including the userspn_secret_token field.
How severe is CVE-2026-4003?
CVE-2026-4003 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2026-4003 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (55th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How do I fix CVE-2026-4003?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
Does CVE-2026-4003 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2026-4003 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-20043.
When was CVE-2026-4003 published?
CVE-2026-4003 was published on 2026-04-08 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

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