CVE-2026-115590 in Dokan Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/28/2026
Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in weDevs Dokan dokan-lite allows Object Injection.This issue affects Dokan: from n/a through 5.3.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/28/2026
The identified vulnerability represents a critical security flaw within the weDevs Dokan plugin, specifically affecting versions ranging from its initial release up to version 5.3.1. This issue is classified as an Object Injection resulting from the improper deserialization of untrusted data. In web application architecture, particularly in content management systems like WordPress where Dokan operates, plugins frequently handle user input and external API responses by converting serialized PHP objects back into their native state for processing. When this process lacks rigorous validation or sanitization mechanisms, it creates a pathway for attackers to manipulate the internal object structure of the application. The core technical flaw lies in the fact that the deserialization function accepts data from untrusted sources without verifying its integrity or origin. This allows an attacker to craft malicious serialized payloads containing arbitrary PHP objects with pre-configured properties and methods designed to exploit specific functionalities within the Dokan ecosystem or the underlying WordPress environment.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns directly with CWE-502, which denotes Deserialization of Untrusted Data. The attack vector typically involves an attacker submitting specially crafted input through any interface that feeds into the vulnerable deserialization endpoint. This could include form submissions, AJAX requests, or even manipulated cookies if they are processed by the affected code path. By injecting a malicious object graph, the attacker can trigger unintended side effects during the unserialization process. These side effects may range from simple information disclosure to more severe outcomes such as remote code execution, depending on which classes and methods are available in the application's autoloaded environment. The presence of accessible magic methods like __destruct(), __wakeup(), or __toString() within the WordPress core or other installed plugins often serves as a gadget chain that facilitates these attacks, allowing the injected objects to execute arbitrary commands upon deserialization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for full system compromise. If an attacker successfully exploits this object injection flaw, they can achieve unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions within the Dokan multi-vendor marketplace platform. This could lead to the manipulation of store settings, alteration of product listings, theft of customer data including payment information and personal details, or complete takeover of the WordPress administrator account. Furthermore, because Dokan integrates deeply with WooCommerce and other e-commerce functionalities, compromising this plugin can destabilize the entire online business infrastructure hosted on that server. The attacker might also use the compromised environment as a pivot point to attack adjacent systems within the same network, escalating the risk from a single application vulnerability to a broader organizational security incident.
Mitigation strategies must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The primary and most effective solution is to upgrade the Dokan plugin to version 5.3.2 or later, where this deserialization issue has been patched by implementing strict input validation and avoiding direct use of unsafe deserialization functions on user-supplied data. For organizations unable to patch immediately due to compatibility constraints, temporary mitigations include disabling any exposed endpoints that trigger the vulnerable code path if possible, enforcing strict Content Security Policies, and ensuring that only authenticated users with high privileges can access administrative features. Additionally, implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules specifically tuned to detect anomalous serialized data patterns or known malicious object signatures can provide an additional layer of defense. Long-term, developers should adopt secure coding practices such as using JSON for data interchange instead of PHP serialization whenever possible, and if serialization is necessary, employing whitelisting techniques to restrict which classes can be instantiated during the unserialization process. This approach significantly reduces the attack surface by preventing arbitrary class instantiation, thereby neutralizing the object injection vector entirely.