CVE-2023-2276 in WooCommerce Memberships for Multivendor Marketplace Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/20/2023
The WCFM Membership – WooCommerce Memberships for Multivendor Marketplace plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Insecure Direct Object References in versions up to, and including, 2.10.7. This is due to the plugin providing user-controlled access to objects, letting a user bypass authorization and access system resources. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to change user passwords and potentially take over administrator accounts.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/09/2026
The vulnerability identified in CVE-2023-2276 affects the WCFM Membership plugin for WordPress, specifically versions up to and including 2.10.7, which is a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of multivendor marketplace systems. This plugin serves as a bridge between WooCommerce and marketplace functionality, enabling vendors to manage their shops within a larger WooCommerce ecosystem. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and authorization checks within the plugin's codebase, creating a pathway for unauthorized access to administrative functions. The flaw is particularly concerning because it allows attackers to manipulate object references directly without proper authentication, effectively bypassing the normal access control mechanisms that should protect sensitive system resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through insecure direct object references where the plugin fails to properly validate user inputs that determine which objects or resources should be accessed. This allows an attacker to manipulate parameters that control access to user accounts and administrative functions. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-639 as Insecure Direct Object Reference, which is a well-documented weakness in access control systems where applications fail to properly validate user access to objects or resources. The flaw specifically enables unauthenticated attackers to perform password changes and potentially escalate privileges to administrator accounts, making it a severe threat to the overall security posture of the WordPress installation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it creates a potential pathway for complete system compromise. Attackers can exploit this flaw to modify user accounts, potentially gaining administrative control over the entire marketplace platform. The implications are particularly severe for multivendor environments where multiple users with varying levels of access exist, as the vulnerability could allow a single attacker to compromise the entire system. This type of vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for Valid Accounts and T1566.002 for Phishing, as it enables attackers to leverage compromised accounts to maintain persistent access. The vulnerability also represents a critical failure in the principle of least privilege, where proper authorization controls are bypassed, allowing unrestricted access to system resources that should remain protected.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must include immediate patching of the affected plugin to version 2.10.8 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes to address the insecure direct object reference issue. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring measures to detect unauthorized access attempts and password changes within their WordPress installations. Network segmentation and firewall rules can help limit access to administrative functions, while regular security audits should verify that no unauthorized modifications have occurred. The implementation of multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts provides an additional layer of protection, though it cannot fully compensate for the underlying vulnerability. Security teams should also consider implementing Web Application Firewalls that can detect and block malicious parameter manipulation attempts, and conduct thorough penetration testing to ensure that no other similar vulnerabilities exist within the WordPress ecosystem.