CVE-2026-56048 Overview
CVE-2026-56048 is an unauthenticated Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR) vulnerability [CWE-639] in the Payment Gateway Based Fees and Discounts for WooCommerce plugin for WordPress. The flaw affects plugin versions 3.0.0 and earlier. Unauthenticated attackers can manipulate object identifiers in HTTP requests to access or modify resources belonging to other users. The vulnerability requires no authentication and no user interaction over the network.
Critical Impact
Unauthenticated attackers can access or manipulate WooCommerce checkout resources tied to other users by tampering with object identifiers, resulting in limited integrity and availability impact on affected storefronts.
Affected Products
- Payment Gateway Based Fees and Discounts for WooCommerce plugin (checkout-fees-for-woocommerce) versions <= 3.0.0
- WordPress installations running WooCommerce with the vulnerable plugin enabled
- E-commerce sites exposing the plugin's endpoints to unauthenticated visitors
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-06-26 - CVE-2026-56048 published to NVD
- 2026-06-29 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-56048
Vulnerability Analysis
The plugin exposes functionality that accepts object identifiers from user-controlled input without verifying whether the requesting user is authorized to act on the referenced object. Because the endpoint is reachable without authentication, any remote client can supply arbitrary identifiers and receive responses tied to other users' records. The vulnerability falls under CWE-639, Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key.
Exploitation requires only a crafted HTTP request over the network. The attack complexity is low, and no privileges or user interaction are needed. Impact is limited to integrity and availability of specific plugin-managed resources rather than full site compromise.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing authorization checks on plugin actions that accept resource identifiers as parameters. The plugin trusts the identifier supplied by the client and does not compare it against the current session's ownership or capability context. This design allows horizontal access to records belonging to other users of the checkout workflow.
Attack Vector
An attacker sends unauthenticated HTTP requests to a vulnerable plugin endpoint with modified object identifiers. By iterating identifier values, the attacker can enumerate or tamper with fee, discount, or related checkout objects associated with other users. Refer to the Patchstack advisory for endpoint-level technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-56048
Indicators of Compromise
- Unauthenticated HTTP requests to checkout-fees-for-woocommerce plugin endpoints containing sequential or manipulated numeric identifiers
- Access log entries showing repeated admin-ajax.php or REST calls to plugin actions from a single source IP
- Unexpected changes to WooCommerce fee or discount configurations without corresponding administrator login events
Detection Strategies
- Alert on repeated requests to plugin URIs containing incrementing identifier parameters from the same client
- Correlate WordPress audit log changes to checkout fee rules with the absence of an authenticated admin session
- Baseline expected request patterns to the plugin and flag anomalous unauthenticated volume
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable a WordPress activity logging plugin to record configuration changes tied to WooCommerce checkout fees
- Forward web server access logs to a centralized log platform for enrichment and search on plugin-specific URIs
- Monitor EPSS movement for CVE-2026-56048 (current EPSS 0.242%, percentile 15.243) to detect changing exploitation likelihood
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-56048
Immediate Actions Required
- Identify all WordPress sites running the Payment Gateway Based Fees and Discounts for WooCommerce plugin at version 3.0.0 or earlier
- Update the plugin to a fixed release once published by the vendor, tracking the Patchstack advisory for the patched version
- Review WooCommerce fee and discount configuration for unauthorized modifications
Patch Information
At publication, the vendor advisory listed on Patchstack is the authoritative source for the fixed version. Administrators should consult the Patchstack entry for the current fixed release and apply the update through the WordPress plugin manager.
Workarounds
- Disable the Payment Gateway Based Fees and Discounts for WooCommerce plugin until a patched version is installed
- Restrict access to plugin endpoints at the web application firewall by blocking unauthenticated requests carrying object identifier parameters
- Apply virtual patching rules from a managed WordPress security service such as Patchstack or an equivalent WAF ruleset
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
