CVE-2026-0727: WordPress Accordion Plugin Auth Bypass Flaw

CVE-2026-0727 Overview

The Accordion and Accordion Slider plugin for WordPress contains an authorization bypass vulnerability affecting all versions up to and including 1.4.5. The plugin fails to properly verify user authorization when executing the wp_aas_save_attachment_data and wp_aas_get_attachment_edit_form functions, allowing authenticated attackers with contributor-level access or higher to read and modify attachment metadata across the entire WordPress site.

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers with minimal privileges (contributor level) can access and modify attachment metadata including file paths, titles, captions, alt text, and custom links for any attachment on the affected WordPress site, potentially enabling further attacks or information disclosure.

Affected Products

• Accordion and Accordion Slider plugin for WordPress versions ≤ 1.4.5

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-14 - CVE-2026-0727 published to NVD
• 2026-02-18 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-0727

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-862 (Missing Authorization). The core issue lies in the plugin's administrative functions that handle attachment metadata operations. When users interact with the wp_aas_save_attachment_data and wp_aas_get_attachment_edit_form functions, the plugin fails to implement proper capability checks to verify whether the requesting user has sufficient permissions to perform the requested action on the specific attachment.

In WordPress's permission model, contributors should only be able to manage their own content. However, due to the missing authorization checks in these functions, any authenticated user with at least contributor-level access can read and modify attachment metadata for any attachment on the site, regardless of ownership.

Root Cause

The vulnerability stems from missing authorization verification in the plugin's AJAX handler functions. The wp_aas_save_attachment_data function processes requests to modify attachment metadata without verifying that the current user has the appropriate capabilities or ownership of the target attachment. Similarly, the wp_aas_get_attachment_edit_form function returns attachment data without confirming the requester's authorization to access that specific attachment.

This represents a Broken Access Control flaw where the developers implemented authentication (verifying the user is logged in) but failed to implement proper authorization (verifying the user has permission to perform the specific action).

Attack Vector

The vulnerability is exploitable over the network and requires low-privilege authenticated access (contributor role or above). An attacker would need valid WordPress credentials with at least contributor-level permissions to exploit this vulnerability.

The attack flow involves an authenticated attacker sending crafted requests to the vulnerable AJAX endpoints. By manipulating the attachment ID parameter in requests to wp_aas_save_attachment_data, an attacker can modify metadata for any attachment, including those belonging to administrators or other users. This could enable attackers to alter file paths to point to malicious resources, modify image alt text for SEO spam, change custom links to redirect visitors, or gather information about site structure and file organization.

For technical details, refer to the WordPress Plugin File Reference showing the patched code.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-0727

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected modifications to attachment metadata across multiple attachments
• Audit logs showing contributor-level users accessing or modifying attachments they do not own
• Unusual AJAX requests to wp_aas_save_attachment_data or wp_aas_get_attachment_edit_form endpoints from low-privilege users

Detection Strategies

• Monitor WordPress AJAX request logs for calls to the vulnerable functions (wp_aas_save_attachment_data, wp_aas_get_attachment_edit_form) from users with contributor or author roles
• Implement file integrity monitoring on attachment metadata within the WordPress database
• Review user activity logs for unauthorized attachment access patterns across different user-owned content

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed WordPress activity logging to track all attachment metadata modifications
• Configure alerts for bulk attachment metadata changes from non-administrator accounts
• Regularly audit contributor and author account activities for suspicious cross-user data access

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-0727

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the Accordion and Accordion Slider plugin to version 1.4.6 or later immediately
• Review recent attachment metadata changes for signs of unauthorized modification
• Audit contributor and author-level user accounts for suspicious activity
• Consider temporarily disabling the plugin until the update can be applied

Patch Information

The vulnerability has been addressed in version 1.4.6 of the Accordion and Accordion Slider plugin. The fix implements proper authorization checks in the affected functions to ensure users can only access and modify attachments they have permission to manage. For more details on the patch, see the WordPress Plugin File Reference and the Wordfence Vulnerability Report.

Workarounds

• Temporarily deactivate the Accordion and Accordion Slider plugin until the update is applied
• Restrict contributor and author account creation to trusted users only
• Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to block or monitor suspicious AJAX requests to the vulnerable endpoints
• Review and reduce the number of users with contributor-level access or higher on affected sites

# WordPress CLI command to update the plugin
wp plugin update accordion-and-accordion-slider

# Verify the installed version
wp plugin list --name=accordion-and-accordion-slider --fields=name,version,status