CVE-2026-24951: myCred Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2026-24951 Overview

CVE-2026-24951 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability affecting the myCred WordPress plugin developed by Saad Iqbal. This broken access control flaw allows attackers to exploit incorrectly configured access control security levels, potentially enabling unauthorized modifications to plugin functionality or user credit balances. The vulnerability stems from inadequate authorization checks on sensitive operations within the plugin.

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers with low privileges can bypass authorization controls to perform unauthorized actions within the myCred plugin, potentially manipulating user credits or accessing restricted functionality.

Affected Products

• myCred WordPress Plugin versions up to and including 2.9.7.3
• WordPress installations running vulnerable myCred versions
• Sites using myCred for gamification, loyalty points, or virtual currency systems

Discovery Timeline

• February 3, 2026 - CVE-2026-24951 published to NVD
• February 3, 2026 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-24951

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization), which occurs when a software component does not perform an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action. In the context of the myCred plugin, certain privileged operations lack proper capability checks, allowing authenticated users with minimal privileges to execute actions that should be restricted to administrators or specific user roles.

The myCred plugin provides a points management system for WordPress sites, enabling features like virtual currencies, loyalty programs, and gamification. Due to the missing authorization checks, the plugin fails to verify whether a user has appropriate permissions before processing certain requests, creating an exploitable security gap.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2026-24951 lies in the absence of proper authorization validation within the myCred plugin's request handling logic. When processing AJAX requests or form submissions related to plugin functionality, the code does not adequately verify the user's capabilities using WordPress's built-in permission system such as current_user_can() checks. This allows any authenticated user, regardless of their role, to access and modify resources that should be protected.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring the attacker to have a valid authenticated session on the WordPress site. The attacker does not need any user interaction to exploit this vulnerability. By crafting specific requests to vulnerable endpoints within the myCred plugin, an attacker with low-level privileges (such as a subscriber account) can bypass access controls and perform unauthorized operations.

The attack flow typically involves:

1. Obtaining a low-privilege authenticated session on the target WordPress site
2. Identifying vulnerable myCred endpoints that lack authorization checks
3. Sending crafted requests directly to these endpoints
4. Successfully executing privileged operations without proper authorization

Since no verified code examples are available for this vulnerability, readers should consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for detailed technical information about the specific vulnerable endpoints.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-24951

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual modifications to user credit balances without corresponding legitimate transactions
• Unexpected AJAX requests to myCred plugin endpoints from low-privilege user sessions
• Log entries showing access to administrative myCred functions by non-administrator users
• Anomalous patterns in the mycred_log database table indicating unauthorized point adjustments

Detection Strategies

• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to monitor and alert on suspicious requests to myCred plugin endpoints
• Configure WordPress activity logging plugins to capture all myCred-related actions with user context
• Review access logs for POST requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php containing myCred-specific action parameters from non-admin users
• Deploy endpoint detection solutions like SentinelOne to identify unauthorized access patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for the myCred plugin and WordPress AJAX handlers
• Set up alerts for any credit balance modifications performed by users without administrative roles
• Monitor for repeated failed authorization attempts that may indicate reconnaissance activity
• Implement real-time notification systems for changes to plugin settings or user permissions

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-24951

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the myCred plugin to a version newer than 2.9.7.3 when a patch becomes available
• Review and restrict user registration settings to prevent unauthorized account creation
• Audit existing user accounts and remove unnecessary subscriber or contributor accounts
• Implement additional authorization layers using security plugins that enforce capability checks

Patch Information

Affected organizations should monitor the official myCred plugin repository and the WordPress plugin directory for security updates addressing this vulnerability. The Patchstack Vulnerability Report provides additional details about the affected versions and remediation guidance.

Workarounds

• Temporarily disable the myCred plugin if it is not critical to site operations until a patch is available
• Implement a web application firewall (WAF) rule to restrict access to myCred AJAX endpoints to administrative users only
• Use WordPress security plugins to add additional capability checks on myCred-related actions
• Limit user registration on the WordPress site to reduce the attack surface from low-privilege accounts

# Example: Restrict access to admin-ajax.php myCred actions via .htaccess
# Add to WordPress root .htaccess file
<Files admin-ajax.php>
  <If "%{QUERY_STRING} =~ /action=mycred/">
    Require all denied
  </If>
</Files>