CVE-2026-16062 in Event Booking Manager for WooCommerce Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/02/2026
The Event Booking Manager for WooCommerce WordPress plugin before 5.3.7 does not prevent the deserialization of user-controlled input in some of its event content fields, allowing users with Contributor-level access and above to inject PHP objects. No POP chain is present in the Event Booking Manager for WooCommerce WordPress plugin before 5.3.7 itself, but if one is present via another installed Event Booking Manager for WooCommerce WordPress plugin before 5.3.7 or , this could lead to actions such as arbitrary file deletion, sensitive data retrieval, or remote code execution. This is an incomplete fix of the Event Booking Manager for WooCommerce WordPress plugin before 5.3.7's earlier object-injection advisories.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/02/2026
The Event Booking Manager for WooCommerce WordPress plugin versions prior to 5.3.7 contain a critical security vulnerability related to improper input validation and deserialization handling within its event content fields. This vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to adequately sanitize user-controlled input during the object deserialization process, creating an attack surface that can be exploited by users possessing Contributor-level access or higher privileges. The flaw represents a classic object injection vulnerability where malicious PHP objects can be injected into the system through carefully crafted inputs that are subsequently deserialized without proper validation mechanisms.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it squarely within the scope of CWE-502, which specifically addresses "Deserialization of Untrusted Data" in software systems. This weakness allows attackers to manipulate serialized data structures and execute arbitrary code when the system attempts to reconstruct these objects. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the plugin level within WordPress, which provides a rich environment for exploitation due to the extensive capabilities available through the WordPress ecosystem. While the specific Event Booking Manager plugin itself does not contain a complete chain of object manipulation techniques or payload execution mechanisms, the incomplete nature of the previous fixes means that other components within the same plugin suite or potentially other plugins installed on the same WordPress instance could provide the necessary exploitation vectors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data integrity concerns to encompass potential remote code execution capabilities when combined with other vulnerabilities present in the system. Attackers with Contributor-level access can leverage this flaw to perform actions including arbitrary file deletion, sensitive data retrieval, and potentially full system compromise through the execution of malicious PHP code. The privilege escalation aspect is significant because it allows attackers to bypass standard user permissions and gain access to functionality that should be restricted to administrators or higher-level users. This vulnerability essentially creates a backdoor for attackers who may have gained access to lower-privileged accounts through other means, providing them with elevated capabilities within the WordPress environment.
The incomplete nature of previous fixes for this vulnerability indicates a pattern where security patches were applied without addressing all potential attack vectors, leaving residual weaknesses that can be exploited. This situation is particularly problematic in WordPress environments where multiple plugins are installed and may interact with each other in unexpected ways, creating additional opportunities for exploitation through what is known as the "chain reaction" effect in cybersecurity. Organizations should consider this vulnerability in the context of ATT&CK framework's T1566 technique for "Phishing with Malicious Attachments" and T1078 for "Valid Accounts" since attackers could leverage this weakness to expand their access once they have initial footholds within a system. The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate upgrade to version 5.3.7 or later, which presumably addresses the deserialization issues more comprehensively, along with implementing additional security measures such as input validation at multiple layers, monitoring for suspicious deserialization activities, and ensuring that all plugins are kept up-to-date with the latest security patches.