CVE-2023-4941 in BEAR Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
The BEAR for WordPress is vulnerable to Missing Authorization in versions up to, and including, 1.1.3.3. This is due to a missing capability check on the woobe_bulkoperations_swap function. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers (subscriber or higher) to manipulate products.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/10/2026
The BEAR for WordPress plugin presents a critical authorization vulnerability that undermines the security posture of affected WordPress installations. This vulnerability exists within versions up to and including 1.1.3.3 where the woobe_bulkoperations_swap function fails to implement proper capability checks. The flaw allows authenticated users with subscriber-level privileges or higher to execute unauthorized product manipulation operations, effectively bypassing the intended access controls that should restrict such actions to administrators or users with appropriate permissions. The vulnerability stems from a fundamental failure in the plugin's permission validation mechanism, where the system does not verify whether the requesting user possesses the necessary privileges to perform bulk product operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the woobe_bulkoperations_swap function which lacks proper capability verification before executing product manipulation routines. When an authenticated user accesses this function, the system does not validate whether the user has the required administrative capabilities typically associated with product management operations. This missing authorization check creates an entry point for privilege escalation attacks where lower-privileged users can perform actions that should be restricted to higher-level administrators. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-863, which specifically addresses "Incorrect Authorization" issues where the system fails to verify proper access controls before allowing operations to proceed. This represents a classic case of insufficient authorization checks that directly violates the principle of least privilege in cybersecurity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access as it enables attackers to manipulate product data within the WordPress e-commerce environment. Subscribers or users with higher roles can potentially alter product attributes, modify inventory levels, change pricing structures, or even delete product entries without proper authorization. This unauthorized product manipulation capability can lead to financial losses, data integrity issues, and disruption of normal business operations. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to deface product listings, introduce malicious product data, or manipulate inventory management systems that could affect supply chain operations. The vulnerability particularly affects WordPress sites utilizing the BEAR plugin for WooCommerce product management, creating a significant risk for online retailers and e-commerce platforms that rely on proper access controls to maintain data integrity.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate remediation through plugin updates to versions that address the missing authorization checks. System administrators should ensure that all affected installations are updated to the latest stable version of the BEAR plugin where the woobe_bulkoperations_swap function includes proper capability validation. Additionally, organizations should implement network-level monitoring to detect unusual product manipulation activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The security team should also review user role assignments and ensure that only trusted administrators have access to product management functions. This vulnerability highlights the importance of proper access control implementation and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and credential access, as unauthorized users can leverage this flaw to gain elevated privileges within the application. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their WordPress plugins to identify similar authorization gaps and implement robust capability checks throughout their applications to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future.