CVE-2023-3011 in ARMember Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/12/2023
The ARMember plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery in versions up to, and including, 4.0.5. This is due to missing or incorrect nonce validation on the arm_check_user_cap function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to perform multiple unauthorized actions via a forged request granted they can trick a site administrator into performing an action such as clicking on a link.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/10/2026
The ARMember plugin for WordPress represents a popular membership management solution that enables website administrators to create and manage user access controls, subscription plans, and member directories. This plugin integrates deeply with WordPress core functionality to provide membership-based access control, making it a critical component for sites relying on user authentication and authorization. The vulnerability exists within the plugin's handling of user capability checks and authorization mechanisms, specifically affecting versions up to and including 4.0.5. This represents a significant security risk as the plugin is widely deployed across WordPress installations, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking to exploit administrative privileges.
The technical flaw manifests in the arm_check_user_cap function where nonce validation is either completely absent or improperly implemented. Nonces serve as critical security tokens that ensure requests originate from legitimate sources and prevent unauthorized actions from being executed. In this case, the missing or incorrect nonce validation creates a cross-site request forgery vulnerability that allows attackers to craft malicious requests that can be executed with administrative privileges. The vulnerability specifically affects the plugin's ability to verify that requests to modify user capabilities or membership settings are legitimate and authorized by the actual administrator.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it enables attackers to perform multiple unauthorized actions within the WordPress administration interface. An attacker could potentially modify user roles, delete membership levels, alter subscription settings, or even gain full administrative control over the affected WordPress site. The attack vector requires social engineering to trick an administrator into clicking a malicious link, but once successful, the consequences are severe and can lead to complete site compromise. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and undermines the integrity of the WordPress authorization system.
Security practitioners should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the patched version of ARMember plugin, implementing additional security measures such as role-based access controls, and monitoring for suspicious administrative activities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery flaws in web applications. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation through unauthorized access. Organizations should also consider implementing additional layers of protection including web application firewalls, two-factor authentication for administrative accounts, and regular security auditing of installed plugins. The incident underscores the importance of proper nonce implementation and the critical need for regular security updates in WordPress environments.