CVE-2026-4141: WordPress Quran Translations CSRF Vulnerability

CVE-2026-4141 Overview

The Quran Translations plugin for WordPress contains a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in all versions up to and including 1.7. The vulnerability exists in the quran_playlist_options() function that handles the plugin's settings page. Due to missing nonce validation, the function processes POST requests to update plugin options via update_option() without implementing wp_nonce_field() in the form or performing wp_verify_nonce()/check_admin_referer() verification before processing requests.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can modify plugin settings by tricking a site administrator into clicking a malicious link, potentially altering display options for PDF, RSS, podcast, media player links, playlist title, and playlist code.

Affected Products

• Quran Translations WordPress Plugin version 1.7 and earlier
• WordPress sites running vulnerable versions of the Quran Translations plugin

Discovery Timeline

• April 8, 2026 - CVE-2026-4141 published to NVD
• April 8, 2026 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-4141

Vulnerability Analysis

This CSRF vulnerability (CWE-352) stems from inadequate request validation in the WordPress plugin's settings management functionality. The quran_playlist_options() function accepts and processes form submissions without verifying that the request originated from a legitimate administrative session. WordPress provides built-in CSRF protection mechanisms through nonce tokens, but this plugin fails to implement them on its settings page.

When an administrator visits the plugin settings page and submits changes, the form data is processed by the vulnerable function. Because no nonce verification occurs, an attacker can craft a malicious page containing a hidden form that automatically submits to the plugin's settings endpoint. If an authenticated administrator visits this malicious page, their browser will send the forged request with their valid session cookies, causing the plugin settings to be modified without the administrator's knowledge or consent.

Root Cause

The root cause is the absence of WordPress nonce token validation in the quran_playlist_options() function located in playlist.php. The function uses update_option() to modify plugin settings but does not call wp_verify_nonce() or check_admin_referer() to validate that the request was intentionally initiated by the administrator. Additionally, the settings form does not include a nonce field generated by wp_nonce_field(), making it impossible to validate the request origin even if verification was attempted.

Attack Vector

The attack requires social engineering to succeed. An attacker must construct a malicious webpage containing a hidden form that targets the vulnerable plugin endpoint with crafted POST parameters. The attacker then needs to convince a logged-in WordPress administrator to visit this malicious page. Upon loading, the page automatically submits the hidden form, and the administrator's authenticated session is used to process the forged request.

The vulnerability can be exploited by embedding a malicious form in an attacker-controlled website that targets the WordPress admin settings endpoint. When an authenticated administrator visits this page, the form automatically submits POST data to modify plugin settings for PDF display, RSS feeds, podcast options, media player links, playlist titles, and playlist code. See the WordPress Plugin Code Review and Wordfence Vulnerability Report for technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-4141

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected changes to Quran Translations plugin settings without administrator action
• Modified display options for PDF, RSS, podcast, or media player functionality
• Suspicious POST requests to the plugin settings page from external referrers
• Administrator reports of settings reverting or changing unexpectedly

Detection Strategies

• Review web server access logs for POST requests to the plugin settings endpoint with unusual referrer headers
• Monitor WordPress option changes in the database related to the Quran Translations plugin
• Implement Content Security Policy headers to detect and block cross-origin form submissions
• Enable WordPress audit logging to track settings modifications and correlate with admin activity

Monitoring Recommendations

• Configure SentinelOne Singularity Platform to monitor WordPress application directories for configuration changes
• Set up alerting for WordPress admin panel access patterns that deviate from normal behavior
• Monitor HTTP referrer headers on administrative endpoints for off-site origins
• Enable detailed logging on WordPress multisite installations to track plugin setting changes across sites

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-4141

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the Quran Translations plugin to a patched version when available
• Review current plugin settings to verify they have not been tampered with
• Implement web application firewall rules to validate referrer headers on admin POST requests
• Educate administrators about the risks of clicking untrusted links while logged into WordPress

Patch Information

No official patch information is currently available. Monitor the WordPress Plugin Repository and the Wordfence Vulnerability Report for updates on a patched version. Site administrators should verify that any update includes proper nonce validation using wp_verify_nonce() or check_admin_referer() functions.

Workarounds

• Temporarily deactivate the Quran Translations plugin until a patch is released
• Restrict access to the WordPress admin panel using IP whitelisting
• Implement additional authentication layers such as two-factor authentication for admin access
• Use a web application firewall to filter requests lacking proper WordPress nonce tokens

# Temporarily deactivate the vulnerable plugin via WP-CLI
wp plugin deactivate quran-translations-by-edc

# Verify current plugin version
wp plugin get quran-translations-by-edc --field=version

# Check for available updates
wp plugin update quran-translations-by-edc --dry-run