CVE-2026-107237 in Backup and Staging by WP Time Capsule Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/22/2026
The Backup and Staging by WP Time Capsule WordPress plugin before 1.22.28 does not perform capability or nonce checks on the handler that deploys a staging site to the live site, allowing any authenticated user with a Subscriber account on a WP Time Capsule staging site to overwrite the separate live site's database and configuration and take it offline.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/22/2026
The vulnerability identified in versions of the Backup and Staging by WP Time Capsile plugin prior to version 1.22.28 represents a critical failure in access control mechanisms within WordPress administrative interfaces. This flaw specifically affects the functionality that allows administrators or authorized users to deploy content from a staging environment to a live production site. The core technical issue lies in the absence of proper capability verification and nonce validation on the server-side handler responsible for executing this deployment operation. In secure web application design, actions that modify critical system state must be protected by two primary mechanisms: checking if the user has the requisite permissions (capability check) and verifying a unique, time-sensitive token generated during form rendering to prevent Cross-Site Request Forgery attacks (nonce check). The WP Time Capsule plugin fails to implement these safeguards for its staging-to-live deployment endpoint.
This architectural deficiency allows any authenticated user with even the most basic level of access on WordPress, specifically those assigned the Subscriber role, to exploit this functionality. Typically, a Subscriber account is intended for users who can only manage their own profile and view content, not modify site-wide configurations or database structures. However, due to the missing checks, an attacker possessing valid credentials for any subscriber-level account associated with a WP Time Capsule staging environment can craft malicious requests that trigger the deployment handler. By doing so, they gain the ability to overwrite the live site's database and configuration files without authorization. This effectively bypasses WordPress role-based access control models designed to limit privilege escalation risks within multi-user environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, leading directly to a complete compromise of the affected web application's integrity and availability. Since the attacker can force the deployment of staging data onto the live site, they can overwrite critical database tables that store user accounts, settings, and content. This capability enables several malicious outcomes. The most immediate consequence is denial of service, as the attacker can delete essential configuration entries or corrupt the database structure, rendering the website inaccessible to legitimate users. Furthermore, this action facilitates privilege escalation; an attacker could replace administrator credentials with their own, thereby gaining full control over the WordPress installation. This level of access allows for further exploitation vectors such as defacement, data exfiltration, or using the compromised server as a pivot point for attacks against internal network resources.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns closely with CWE-284, which describes Improper Access Control, specifically highlighting failures in authorization checks before performing sensitive operations. It also relates to CWE-352, Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF), due to the lack of nonce verification that would normally prevent unauthorized state-changing requests from being processed by the browser on behalf of a logged-in user. In terms of the MITRE ATT&CK framework for enterprise security, this behavior maps to T1078, Valid Accounts, as it relies on legitimate credentials, and potentially T1496, Resource Hijacking or Denial of Service via resource exhaustion if the overwrite causes system instability. The attack vector is classified under Initial Access through compromised credentials followed by Lateral Movement within the application context, although in this specific case, it acts more like a direct privilege escalation leading to full compromise rather than lateral movement between distinct systems.
Mitigation strategies must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hygiene. The primary and most effective solution is to upgrade the WP Time Capsule plugin to version 1.22.28 or later, where these missing capability and nonce checks have been implemented by the developers. For organizations unable to update immediately due to compatibility constraints, temporary mitigations include restricting access to WordPress admin areas using IP whitelisting if feasible, although this is often impractical for remote teams. Additionally, implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rulesets that detect and block anomalous POST requests targeting known vulnerable endpoints can provide a layer of defense in depth. It is also critical to enforce the principle of least privilege across all WordPress installations; ensuring that users who do not require administrative or staging capabilities are assigned roles strictly limited to their job functions reduces the attack surface significantly. Regular auditing of plugin code for proper nonce and capability verification should be integrated into the software development lifecycle to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future updates.