CVE-2026-24976: NooTheme Organici Library Object Injection

CVE-2026-24976 Overview

A critical Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability has been identified in the NooTheme Organici Library WordPress plugin (noo-organici-library). This vulnerability enables PHP Object Injection attacks, allowing authenticated attackers with low privileges to inject arbitrary objects into the application. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized data access, modification, or complete system compromise.

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers can exploit PHP Object Injection to potentially achieve remote code execution, data manipulation, or complete WordPress site takeover depending on available gadget chains.

Affected Products

• NooTheme Organici Library (noo-organici-library) versions through 2.1.2
• WordPress installations using the vulnerable plugin
• Sites utilizing NooTheme Organici theme ecosystem

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-25 - CVE CVE-2026-24976 published to NVD
• 2026-03-26 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-24976

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability stems from insecure deserialization of user-supplied data within the NooTheme Organici Library plugin. When the application deserializes untrusted data without proper validation, an attacker can craft malicious serialized PHP objects that, when deserialized, execute arbitrary code or perform unintended actions.

PHP Object Injection vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous in WordPress environments because the platform and its plugins often contain "magic methods" (such as __wakeup(), __destruct(), or __toString()) that can be chained together to form "POP chains" (Property Oriented Programming chains). These chains can lead to various attack outcomes including remote code execution, arbitrary file operations, or SQL injection.

The vulnerability requires only low-privilege authentication (such as a subscriber account) to exploit, making it accessible to a wide range of potential attackers who can register or compromise basic user accounts.

Root Cause

The root cause is classified as CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data. The plugin fails to properly validate or sanitize serialized data before passing it to PHP's unserialize() function. This allows attackers to inject malicious PHP objects that are instantiated during the deserialization process.

The vulnerability exists because:

• User-controlled input is passed directly to deserialization functions
• No whitelist of allowed classes is implemented
• Input validation and sanitization are insufficient or absent

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires an authenticated user with low privileges. The attacker must:

1. Obtain valid credentials for a WordPress account (even subscriber-level access is sufficient)
2. Identify an endpoint that processes serialized data
3. Craft a malicious serialized PHP object payload
4. Submit the payload through the vulnerable functionality
5. The application deserializes the payload, triggering the malicious object's methods

The vulnerability can be exploited without user interaction once the attacker has authenticated. Successful exploitation depends on the presence of suitable gadget chains within the WordPress installation, including the core, themes, and other plugins.

For technical details on the exploitation mechanism, refer to the Patchstack vulnerability database entry.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-24976

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual serialized data patterns in HTTP POST requests, particularly containing class names and property definitions
• Log entries showing unexpected object instantiation or magic method execution
• Unauthorized file modifications or new files created in WordPress directories
• Anomalous database queries originating from plugin functions
• Unexpected outbound network connections from the web server

Detection Strategies

• Monitor web application logs for serialized PHP object patterns (strings beginning with O: followed by class definitions)
• Implement WAF rules to detect and block common PHP object injection payloads
• Review access logs for authenticated requests to plugin endpoints with unusual POST data
• Deploy file integrity monitoring to detect unauthorized modifications to WordPress core, theme, and plugin files
• Utilize SentinelOne Singularity Platform to detect post-exploitation activities such as unauthorized process spawning or lateral movement

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging for the NooTheme Organici Library plugin and related components
• Configure real-time alerting for deserialization-related error messages or exceptions
• Implement behavioral analysis to detect anomalous plugin activity patterns
• Monitor for new user account creation or privilege escalation attempts
• Track changes to critical WordPress configuration files including wp-config.php

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-24976

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the NooTheme Organici Library plugin to a patched version when available from the vendor
• If no patch is available, consider temporarily disabling the plugin until a fix is released
• Review user accounts and remove unnecessary accounts, particularly those with elevated privileges
• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to filter serialized PHP object patterns
• Conduct a security audit to identify potential indicators of prior exploitation

Patch Information

A security patch addressing this vulnerability should be obtained from NooTheme. Refer to the Patchstack advisory for the latest information on available fixes. Users should update to a version newer than 2.1.2 once released.

Workarounds

• Disable the NooTheme Organici Library plugin if it is not critical to site functionality
• Restrict user registration to prevent attackers from creating accounts needed for exploitation
• Implement strict input validation at the server or WAF level to block serialized object payloads
• Use WordPress security plugins to add additional layers of protection against object injection attacks
• Consider implementing PHP's allowed_classes parameter in unserialize() calls if modifying the plugin code

# Disable the vulnerable plugin via WP-CLI
wp plugin deactivate noo-organici-library

# Alternatively, rename the plugin directory to disable it
mv wp-content/plugins/noo-organici-library wp-content/plugins/noo-organici-library.disabled

# Verify plugin is deactivated
wp plugin list --status=active | grep noo-organici