CVE-2026-25444 Overview
CVE-2026-25444 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability [CWE-862] affecting the Magepeople WpBookingly WordPress plugin. The flaw exists in versions up to and including 1.2.9. Attackers can exploit incorrectly configured access control security levels to perform actions that should require higher privileges. The vulnerability is exploitable over the network and requires low-privileged authentication, but no user interaction. Successful exploitation results in limited impact to data integrity within affected WordPress installations.
Critical Impact
An authenticated attacker with low privileges can bypass access control checks in WpBookingly to modify booking-related data on affected WordPress sites.
Affected Products
- Magepeople WpBookingly plugin for WordPress (service-booking-manager)
- All versions from n/a through 1.2.9
- WordPress sites with WpBookingly installed and active
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-05-26 - CVE-2026-25444 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-05-26 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-25444
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability stems from missing authorization checks within the WpBookingly plugin. The plugin exposes functionality that fails to verify whether the calling user holds the appropriate role or capability before executing privileged actions. This category of flaw, classified under [CWE-862] Missing Authorization, allows authenticated subscribers or low-tier users to invoke functions intended for administrators or shop managers. The impact is constrained to integrity, with no direct confidentiality or availability consequence according to the CVSS vector. Booking records, configuration values, or related plugin data can be altered by users who should not possess that capability.
Root Cause
The root cause is incorrectly configured access control security levels within WpBookingly request handlers. The plugin registers AJAX or REST endpoints without enforcing current_user_can() capability checks or equivalent authorization logic. Authentication alone is treated as sufficient, which violates the principle of separating authentication from authorization.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based. An attacker authenticates to the WordPress site with any valid account, including a subscriber-level account where open registration is enabled. The attacker then issues crafted requests directly to the vulnerable WpBookingly endpoints. Because the endpoints lack capability checks, the requests are processed as if the user were authorized. Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-25444
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected modifications to booking records, services, or plugin settings made by non-administrative WordPress accounts.
- HTTP POST requests to WpBookingly AJAX or REST endpoints originating from low-privileged session cookies.
- New or modified entries in plugin database tables without corresponding administrator audit log entries.
Detection Strategies
- Audit WordPress access logs for requests to admin-ajax.php containing WpBookingly action parameters from subscriber or customer accounts.
- Compare current plugin data state against known-good backups to identify unauthorized changes.
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall ruleset that flags WpBookingly endpoint calls correlated with low-privilege user roles.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable WordPress activity logging plugins to capture user role context for every plugin-handled request.
- Monitor user registration spikes followed by immediate API activity targeting the WpBookingly plugin.
- Alert on any modifications to booking entities performed by accounts that have never logged into the admin dashboard.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-25444
Immediate Actions Required
- Update WpBookingly to a version newer than 1.2.9 as soon as a fixed release is published by Magepeople.
- Disable the WpBookingly plugin on production sites until a patched version can be installed and verified.
- Restrict WordPress user registration to trusted users only and review existing low-privilege accounts for suspicious activity.
Patch Information
At the time of publication, the vendor advisory linked through Patchstack tracks affected versions from n/a through 1.2.9. Site administrators should consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report and the official plugin repository for the fixed release version once available.
Workarounds
- Place the WordPress site behind a Web Application Firewall and block requests to WpBookingly endpoints from non-administrator sessions.
- Temporarily deactivate the plugin if booking functionality is not business-critical.
- Apply virtual patching rules that enforce capability checks at the WAF layer for the affected AJAX or REST routes.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
