CVE-2026-49051: WP Meta and Date Remover Auth Bypass

CVE-2026-49051 Overview

CVE-2026-49051 is a missing authorization vulnerability in the Prasad Kirpekar WP Meta and Date Remover plugin for WordPress. The flaw affects all versions of the plugin up to and including 2.3.6. Authenticated users with low privilege levels can exploit incorrectly configured access control checks to perform actions reserved for higher-privileged roles.

The issue is categorized under CWE-862: Missing Authorization. The vulnerability is network-exploitable and requires low privileges but no user interaction. It impacts the confidentiality of plugin-managed data without affecting integrity or availability directly.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers with low-level WordPress accounts can bypass access control checks in WP Meta and Date Remover to interact with plugin functionality intended for administrators.

Affected Products

Prasad Kirpekar WP Meta and Date Remover plugin for WordPress
All versions from n/a through 2.3.6
WordPress sites with the plugin installed and active

Discovery Timeline

2026-05-27 - CVE CVE-2026-49051 published to NVD
2026-05-27 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-49051

Vulnerability Analysis

The WP Meta and Date Remover plugin exposes one or more functions that lack proper capability or nonce checks. WordPress plugins typically guard sensitive actions with current_user_can() checks and nonce validation through check_admin_referer() or wp_verify_nonce(). When either check is missing or implements the wrong capability tier, lower-privileged users gain access to administrative behavior.

In this case, an authenticated user with a low-privilege role can trigger plugin endpoints intended for site administrators. The vulnerability falls into the broader category of Broken Access Control, a recurring issue in WordPress plugin ecosystems documented by Patchstack.

The scope-unchanged nature of the issue indicates that exploitation does not extend beyond the affected WordPress instance. However, attackers can still read or manipulate plugin-controlled settings within the application boundary.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing or insufficient authorization logic in plugin request handlers. The plugin does not verify that the requesting user holds the appropriate WordPress capability such as manage_options before executing sensitive operations.

Attack Vector

An attacker first obtains any authenticated session on the target WordPress site. This can include a Subscriber-level account on sites that allow open registration. The attacker then sends a crafted request to the vulnerable plugin endpoint over the network and triggers functionality reserved for administrators. Refer to the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Report for additional technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-49051

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected changes to WP Meta and Date Remover plugin settings made by non-administrator accounts.
WordPress audit log entries showing low-privilege users invoking plugin admin actions.
HTTP POST or GET requests to plugin-specific endpoints originating from Subscriber or Contributor sessions.

Detection Strategies

Inventory WordPress installations and identify hosts running WP Meta and Date Remover at version 2.3.6 or earlier.
Review web server access logs for requests to plugin endpoints correlated with non-admin authentication cookies.
Enable a WordPress activity logging plugin to capture capability-sensitive actions and the user roles invoking them.

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward WordPress and web server logs into a centralized analytics platform for cross-account correlation.
Alert on plugin configuration changes performed outside of administrator accounts or off-hours windows.
Track new user registrations followed quickly by requests to plugin administrative paths.

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-49051

Immediate Actions Required

Update WP Meta and Date Remover to a version later than 2.3.6 once the vendor releases a fix.
Disable the plugin if a patched version is not yet available and the functionality is non-critical.
Restrict WordPress user registration and audit existing low-privilege accounts for unexpected activity.

Patch Information

At the time of publication, the Patchstack advisory lists versions through 2.3.6 as affected. Administrators should monitor the plugin's WordPress.org page and the vendor's release notes for an updated build that adds proper capability checks.

Workarounds

Deactivate WP Meta and Date Remover until a fixed version is published.
Apply a virtual patch or Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to block unauthenticated and low-privilege requests to the plugin's endpoints.
Limit account creation to trusted users and enforce least privilege across all WordPress roles.

bash

# Disable the vulnerable plugin via WP-CLI until a patched release is available
wp plugin deactivate wp-meta-and-date-remover