CVE-2026-111961 in Royal MCP Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/28/2026
The Royal MCP WordPress plugin before 1.5.10 does not perform an object-level permission check before duplicating a requested page, relying on a generic capability, which allows users with contributor-level access to read the full content of any private or draft page and to publish it without holding the publish capability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/28/2026
The vulnerability identified in Royal MCP WordPress plugin versions prior to 1.5.10 represents a critical failure in object-level permission validation, specifically within the functionality responsible for duplicating pages. In secure web application design, particularly within content management systems like WordPress, it is imperative that access controls are enforced at the individual resource level rather than relying solely on broad user role capabilities. This flaw stems from an implementation error where the plugin checks only whether a user possesses a generic capability to perform actions across all objects of a certain type, such as editing posts or pages, without verifying if the specific target object is accessible to that user based on its current status and visibility settings. Consequently, this architectural oversight creates a significant security gap that undermines the intended isolation between different levels of site contributors.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability allows users with contributor-level access, who typically have restricted permissions compared to editors or administrators, to bypass restrictions designed for private or draft content. In standard WordPress configurations, private pages are visible only to authorized users and administrators, while drafts remain invisible until explicitly published by a user with the appropriate publish capability. By exploiting the lack of object-level checks during the duplication process, an attacker can read the full textual content of any private page regardless of its visibility status. Furthermore, because the duplication action often results in the creation of a new post or page entity that inherits certain properties from the source, the vulnerability enables these lower-privileged users to effectively publish this duplicated content without possessing the explicit capability required for publishing. This transforms what should be an internal review mechanism into a public-facing vector for data leakage and unauthorized content injection.
The security implications are severe, as they directly compromise both confidentiality and integrity within the WordPress environment. The ability to read private content constitutes a clear violation of access control policies, leading to potential information disclosure where sensitive business logic, customer data, or internal communications stored in draft pages can be exfiltrated by malicious insiders or compromised accounts with minimal privileges. Additionally, the capacity to publish this duplicated content without proper authorization allows for defacement, spam injection, or the dissemination of misleading information under the guise of legitimate site activity. This behavior aligns closely with CWE-269, which describes Improper Privilege Management, as well as CWE-862, Missing Authorization, highlighting the fundamental failure to enforce appropriate access controls on specific resources.
In terms of threat modeling and attack classification, this vulnerability is indicative of Broken Access Control, a category frequently associated with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1078, specifically Valid Accounts or Local Account manipulation when exploited by existing users, or potentially T1530 if the exfiltrated data leads to further reconnaissance. The exploitation does not require complex injection payloads but rather relies on manipulating standard plugin functions through authenticated requests, making it a straightforward yet effective method for privilege escalation and data theft within the WordPress ecosystem.
To mitigate this vulnerability, immediate action is required by upgrading the Royal MCP plugin to version 1.5.10 or later, where these permission checks have been corrected to enforce object-level validation before allowing duplication operations. Administrators should also audit user roles on affected sites to ensure that contributor accounts are assigned only to trusted individuals who require access to draft content for legitimate workflow purposes. Implementing additional security plugins that provide granular control over post visibility and editing permissions can serve as a compensating control, although reliance on such tools is secondary to patching the core vulnerability in the primary plugin. Regular auditing of WordPress capabilities and adherence to the principle of least privilege remain essential practices for maintaining the integrity of content management systems against similar access control flaws.