CVE-2026-4949 Overview
The Paid Membership Plugin, Ecommerce, User Registration Form, Login Form, User Profile & Restrict Content – ProfilePress plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Missing Authorization in all versions up to, and including, 4.16.12. This vulnerability (CWE-862) exists because the process_checkout function does not properly enforce the plan active status check when a change_plan_sub_id parameter is provided. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to subscribe to inactive membership plans by supplying an arbitrary change_plan_sub_id value in the checkout request.
Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers with minimal privileges (Subscriber-level) can bypass membership plan restrictions and subscribe to inactive or disabled membership plans, potentially gaining unauthorized access to premium content or features.
Affected Products
- ProfilePress WordPress Plugin versions up to and including 4.16.12
- WordPress sites using ProfilePress for membership management
- Sites with inactive/disabled membership plans that should not be accessible
Discovery Timeline
- April 15, 2026 - CVE-2026-4949 published to NVD
- April 15, 2026 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-4949
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability represents a Missing Authorization flaw in the ProfilePress WordPress plugin's checkout processing logic. The root issue lies in the CheckoutController.php file where the process_checkout function handles membership subscription requests. When processing checkout requests, the function fails to validate whether a membership plan is currently active when the request includes a change_plan_sub_id parameter.
The vulnerability enables authenticated users with low-level privileges (Subscriber role) to circumvent business logic controls that normally prevent subscriptions to inactive membership plans. By manipulating the change_plan_sub_id parameter during the checkout process, attackers can reference and subscribe to plans that administrators have intentionally disabled.
Root Cause
The vulnerability stems from insufficient authorization checks in the checkout workflow. Specifically, the process_checkout function in CheckoutController.php bypasses the plan active status validation when a change_plan_sub_id parameter is present in the request. The code path that handles plan changes does not re-verify that the target plan is active before processing the subscription, creating an authorization bypass condition.
The affected code can be reviewed in the CheckoutController.php source where the validation gap occurs.
Attack Vector
The attack is network-based and requires only low-privilege authentication (Subscriber-level access). An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by:
- Authenticating to the WordPress site with a Subscriber-level account
- Initiating a checkout request for any membership plan
- Injecting an arbitrary change_plan_sub_id parameter value in the checkout request
- The system processes the subscription without verifying the target plan's active status
- The attacker gains access to the inactive membership plan's features and content
The attack requires no user interaction and can be performed with low complexity, making it accessible to unsophisticated threat actors.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-4949
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected subscription records in the database for plans that are marked as inactive or disabled
- Checkout transaction logs showing change_plan_sub_id parameter values that reference non-active plans
- User accounts with Subscriber roles gaining access to premium membership features without legitimate subscriptions
Detection Strategies
- Monitor WordPress audit logs for checkout requests containing the change_plan_sub_id parameter, especially those referencing plan IDs that are not currently active
- Implement database queries to detect subscriptions linked to inactive membership plans
- Review web application firewall (WAF) logs for suspicious POST requests to checkout endpoints with unexpected parameters
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable detailed logging for ProfilePress checkout transactions and periodically audit for anomalies
- Set up alerts for subscription creations that reference plan IDs matching disabled or draft plans
- Monitor user privilege changes and unexpected content access patterns following checkout events
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-4949
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the ProfilePress plugin to the latest patched version immediately
- Audit existing subscription records to identify any unauthorized subscriptions to inactive plans
- Review and revoke any suspicious membership subscriptions that may have been created through exploitation
- Consider temporarily disabling the checkout functionality if immediate patching is not possible
Patch Information
A security patch has been released addressing this vulnerability. The fix can be reviewed in the WordPress Plugin Change Set. Administrators should update to a version newer than 4.16.12 to remediate this issue.
For detailed vulnerability analysis and patch guidance, refer to the Wordfence Vulnerability Analysis.
Workarounds
- Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to block or flag checkout requests containing the change_plan_sub_id parameter until the plugin is patched
- Restrict checkout functionality to higher-privileged user roles temporarily
- Delete or permanently remove inactive membership plans rather than simply disabling them to reduce attack surface
# WordPress CLI command to check current ProfilePress plugin version
wp plugin list --name=wp-user-avatar --format=table
# Update ProfilePress to the latest version
wp plugin update wp-user-avatar
# Verify the update was successful
wp plugin get wp-user-avatar --field=version
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
