CVE-2026-12097 in User Management Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/08/2026
The User Management plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to authorization bypass in all versions up to, and including, 1.2. This is due to the plugin not properly verifying that a user is authorized to perform an action. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to modify the plugin's export field configuration stored in the uiewp_export_field option, controlling which user fields such as password hashes are included in CSV exports and how columns are mapped during imports.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2026
The User Management plugin for WordPress presents a critical authorization bypass vulnerability that affects all versions up to and including 1.2, creating a significant security risk for WordPress installations. This flaw stems from inadequate authentication verification mechanisms within the plugin's codebase, specifically in how it handles user permissions for administrative actions. The vulnerability manifests when unauthenticated attackers can manipulate the plugin's export field configuration stored in the uiewp_export_field option, effectively undermining the fundamental security principles of access control and privilege management that are essential for protecting sensitive user data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits a failure in the plugin's permission checking logic, allowing malicious actors to bypass the normal authentication requirements typically enforced by WordPress for administrative operations. When an attacker accesses the plugin's export functionality without proper authentication credentials, the system fails to validate whether the requestor possesses the necessary privileges to modify export field configurations. This authorization bypass enables attackers to alter how user data is structured within CSV exports and import mappings, creating a pathway for unauthorized modification of critical user information including potentially sensitive fields like password hashes.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation, as it provides attackers with the capability to control exactly which user fields are included in exported data sets. This means that an attacker could potentially extract password hashes or other sensitive user information through carefully crafted export requests, even without direct access to administrative accounts. The ability to modify column mappings during imports further compounds the risk by allowing attackers to manipulate how imported data is processed and stored within the WordPress database, potentially leading to data corruption or unauthorized privilege escalation scenarios.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege that should govern all access control mechanisms. From an attack framework perspective, this weakness maps to ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which covers valid accounts used for unauthorized access, as the vulnerability allows attackers to effectively impersonate legitimate administrative functions without proper authentication. The issue also correlates with ATT&CK technique T1566, covering spearphishing campaigns that could leverage this vulnerability to gain initial access and then exploit it for more extensive system compromise.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including updating to the latest plugin version if available, implementing network-level restrictions on plugin endpoints, and monitoring export functionality for unauthorized access attempts. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing additional authentication layers such as two-factor authentication for WordPress admin interfaces and regular security auditing of plugin configurations. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and authorization checking in web applications, particularly when handling sensitive user data operations that could be exploited to gain unauthorized access to system resources or confidential information stored within the WordPress environment.