CVE-2026-112861 in Participants Database Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/20/2026
Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key vulnerability in xnau webdesign Participants Database participants-database allows Exploiting Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security Levels.This issue affects Participants Database: from n/a through 2.7.8.5.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/20/2026
The vulnerability identified as an Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key within the xnau webdesign Participants Database plugin represents a critical flaw in access control mechanisms, specifically affecting versions ranging from initial releases up to version 2.7.8.5. This security issue stems from improper implementation of server-side checks that validate user permissions against resource identifiers provided by clients. In typical WordPress environments utilizing this plugin for managing participant data, the application relies on keys or IDs passed via HTTP requests to retrieve and manipulate database records. When these inputs are not adequately sanitized or validated against the authenticated user's actual privileges, an attacker can exploit this logic gap to access, modify, or delete data belonging to other users or administrative entities that they should not have permission to interact with.
From a technical perspective, the core of this vulnerability lies in the failure to enforce strict object-level authorization checks. The application likely accepts parameters such as participant IDs directly from user-controlled inputs like GET or POST requests without verifying whether the requesting session holds the necessary rights for those specific objects. This aligns closely with CWE-284 Improper Access Control, where the software does not properly restrict access to resources based on identity and privileges. Furthermore, this flaw facilitates unauthorized data exposure and potential modification, which can lead to significant privacy violations given that participant databases often contain sensitive personal information including names, contact details, and potentially financial or health-related data depending on the specific use case of the installation.
The operational impact of exploiting this vulnerability is severe for organizations relying on Participants Database for membership management, event registration, or customer relationship management. An attacker with basic web exploitation skills could craft malicious requests to enumerate valid participant IDs by observing error messages or response times, a technique often associated with CWE-209 Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information if such feedback is present. Once valid identifiers are discovered, the attacker can bypass authorization checks to view private records, alter personal details without consent, or delete critical entries entirely. This not only compromises data integrity and confidentiality but also erodes trust in the platform's ability to protect user privacy, potentially leading to regulatory penalties under frameworks like GDPR if personal data is exposed due to this misconfiguration.
In terms of threat modeling, this vulnerability maps directly to MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to Privilege Escalation and Collection via Client-Side Injection or API Abuse depending on the specific vector used. Attackers can leverage these capabilities to perform lateral movement within a compromised WordPress installation if other plugins share database credentials or session tokens. The lack of proper access control allows for automated exploitation tools to rapidly scan for vulnerable instances, making this a high-risk vulnerability that requires immediate attention from system administrators and developers maintaining affected installations.
Mitigation strategies must focus on implementing robust server-side validation logic before processing any user-supplied identifiers. Developers should ensure that every request involving resource manipulation includes a verification step confirming that the authenticated user owns the requested object or possesses administrative privileges for it. This involves querying the database to check ownership relationships explicitly rather than trusting client-provided keys alone. Additionally, applying principle of least privilege ensures that even if an attacker bypasses initial checks, their actions are limited by underlying role-based access controls. For immediate remediation, administrators should update Participants Database to a patched version where this logic has been corrected, or apply manual code patches that enforce strict ownership verification for all database operations involving participant data. Regular security audits and penetration testing can further identify similar misconfigurations in custom integrations or third-party extensions interacting with the plugin's API endpoints.