CVE-2026-117490 in Flatsome Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 11/14/2026
The Flatsome WordPress theme before 3.20.13 does not enforce the acting user's publish and post-type restrictions on an AJAX save action, allowing users with a role as low as Contributor to publish their own content and change its post type (for example to a product) without holding the required capabilities.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/14/2026
The vulnerability identified in Flatsome WordPress theme versions prior to 3.20.13 represents a critical failure in server-side access control logic, specifically within the AJAX handling mechanisms for content creation and modification. This flaw stems from an insufficient enforcement of role-based permissions during asynchronous operations, allowing attackers with low-privileged accounts to bypass standard security boundaries that are typically enforced by the WordPress core or theme-specific validation routines. The issue is particularly severe because it affects the fundamental integrity of content management workflows, enabling unauthorized elevation of privileges through simple HTTP requests rather than requiring complex exploitation techniques.
From a technical perspective, the vulnerability resides in the AJAX endpoint responsible for saving posts and pages. When a user initiates an action to save or update content via this interface, the theme fails to verify whether the acting user possesses the necessary capabilities associated with the specific post type being targeted. In standard WordPress architecture, roles such as Contributor are restricted from publishing their own content directly; they must submit drafts for review by Editors or Administrators. Furthermore, Contributors generally lack the capability to change a post's type from a standard article to other types like products, which is a feature often utilized in e-commerce setups powered by WooCommerce and integrated with Flatsome. The absence of these checks means that any authenticated user can manipulate the request payload to specify arbitrary post types or force publication status changes without triggering the expected permission errors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability allows an attacker with even minimal access, such as a Contributor account, to publish content immediately without editorial oversight and alter its classification within the system. This capability undermines the intended workflow for many websites that rely on strict content moderation processes. By changing the post type to product or other custom types, attackers can inject malicious elements into areas of the site designed for commercial transactions or specific functional modules. This could lead to defacement, phishing attempts through fake products, or further exploitation if those post types have additional vulnerabilities in their display templates or shortcodes. The ability to bypass publication restrictions also disrupts audit trails and content governance policies established by website administrators.
This flaw aligns with CWE-269, which describes Improper Privilege Management, as the application fails to enforce proper access control levels for a user against its own resources in certain contexts. Additionally, it maps to ATT&CK technique T1078, Valid Accounts, where an attacker uses legitimate credentials to gain unauthorized access or perform actions outside their designated scope. The lack of validation on AJAX endpoints is also characteristic of CWE-926, Improper Export of Data with Incorrect Security Attributes, although in this case, the export is more about exporting privileges than data per se. It highlights a common pattern where frontend convenience features are implemented without corresponding backend security hardening.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve upgrading to Flatsome version 3.20.13 or later, which addresses these permission checks by implementing robust server-side validation for all AJAX actions involving content modification. For organizations unable to upgrade immediately due to compatibility constraints with other plugins or customizations, temporary workarounds include restricting the Contributor role's capabilities using security plugins that can override default WordPress permissions more strictly than standard settings allow. Administrators should also ensure that no unnecessary user roles exist on production sites and monitor logs for unusual AJAX activity patterns indicative of exploitation attempts. Regular auditing of theme code against current best practices for secure coding in PHP-based CMS environments is recommended to prevent similar logic flaws from being introduced during future updates or custom developments.