CVE-2026-114740 in WPVR Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2026
The WPVR WordPress plugin before 9.1.3 does not correctly check user capabilities when creating a tour through its setup wizard, allowing users with the Contributor role and above to create and publish tour content and set arbitrary post metadata they could not otherwise create or publish.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/25/2026
The vulnerability identified in WPVR versions prior to 9.1.3 represents a critical failure in access control mechanisms within the plugin's setup wizard functionality. This flaw stems from an insufficient verification of user capabilities during the process of creating and publishing virtual tours, which are essentially custom post types managed by the application. In a properly secured WordPress environment, role-based access control ensures that users with limited privileges, such as Contributors, cannot perform administrative actions or modify content beyond their designated scope. However, in this specific implementation, the code fails to enforce these restrictions when handling requests generated through the setup wizard interface. This oversight allows authenticated attackers possessing at least Contributor-level permissions to bypass standard permission checks and execute operations reserved for higher-privileged roles like Editors or Administrators.
From a technical perspective, the core issue lies in the lack of capability validation before processing user input related to tour creation. When a user initiates the setup wizard, the backend logic accepts data submissions without adequately verifying whether the current user has the requisite authority to perform these specific actions. Consequently, an attacker can manipulate HTTP requests to create new tours and publish them immediately, bypassing the typical editorial workflow that requires approval for lower-privileged users. Furthermore, the vulnerability extends beyond mere content creation; it permits the setting of arbitrary post metadata. This capability allows attackers to inject malicious data into the database structure associated with these posts, potentially leading to further exploitation vectors such as stored cross-site scripting or privilege escalation if other parts of the application rely on this untrusted metadata for security decisions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant, particularly in multi-author WordPress environments where content moderation and role separation are essential for maintaining site integrity. By allowing Contributors to publish tours directly without approval, the plugin undermines the editorial workflow designed to prevent spam or malicious content from appearing publicly. More critically, the ability to set arbitrary post metadata introduces a risk of data injection attacks. If this metadata is later rendered in a context that does not properly sanitize output, it could facilitate persistent cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks against site visitors or administrators who view these tours. Additionally, attackers might use this functionality to create phishing pages disguised as legitimate virtual tour content, damaging the reputation and trustworthiness of the website owner.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-269, which describes Improper Privilege Assignment, specifically where a user is granted privileges that exceed their assigned role or capability level. It also relates closely to CWE-749, which pertains to Exposure of Dangerous Method for Untrusted Users, as the setup wizard exposes administrative-level functions to lower-tier users. In terms of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this behavior corresponds to techniques involving Privilege Escalation and potentially Initial Access if an attacker leverages this flaw to gain a foothold within the application's logic that leads to broader system compromise. The lack of proper input validation and authorization checks is a common pattern in legacy or poorly maintained plugins, highlighting the necessity for rigorous security auditing during development.
To mitigate this vulnerability, site administrators should immediately update WPVR to version 9.1.3 or later, where these access control mechanisms have been corrected. Until an upgrade is possible, it is advisable to restrict user roles on affected sites by removing Contributor-level users who do not strictly require content publishing privileges, thereby reducing the attack surface. Implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules targeting suspicious patterns in post metadata injection or unusual API calls from low-privileged accounts can provide an additional layer of defense. Furthermore, developers should adopt secure coding practices that enforce strict capability checks using WordPress functions like current_user_can before processing any sensitive operations, ensuring that only authorized users can interact with administrative features regardless of the entry point used to access them.