CVE-2026-24532 in Security Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/23/2026
Missing Authorization vulnerability in SiteLock SiteLock Security – WP Hardening, Login Security & Malware Scans allows Exploiting Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security Levels.This issue affects SiteLock Security – WP Hardening, Login Security & Malware Scans: from n/a through 5.0.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/17/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2026-24532 represents a critical missing authorization flaw within the SiteLock Security – WP Hardening, Login Security & Malware Scans plugin for WordPress. This issue stems from incorrectly configured access control security levels that fail to properly validate user permissions before granting access to sensitive administrative functions. The vulnerability exists across all versions from the initial release through version 5.0.2, indicating a persistent flaw in the plugin's authorization mechanisms that has not been adequately addressed in the affected release cycle.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests as a failure in the plugin's access control validation system, where proper authentication checks are either absent or inadequately enforced. This allows unauthorized users to bypass normal security boundaries and access restricted administrative features that should only be available to legitimate administrators or privileged users. The flaw operates at the application level and specifically targets the plugin's security configuration interfaces, potentially enabling attackers to modify security settings, disable protective measures, or gain elevated privileges within the WordPress environment.
From an operational impact perspective, this missing authorization vulnerability creates significant risks for WordPress sites utilizing the affected plugin. Attackers who can exploit this flaw may gain unauthorized access to critical security functions, potentially leading to complete system compromise or the ability to neutralize protective measures. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple versions suggests that administrators who have not updated to newer releases remain exposed to this risk, creating a substantial attack surface for malicious actors targeting WordPress installations. This issue directly violates the principle of least privilege and can result in unauthorized modification of security configurations that protect against malware, brute force attacks, and other common threats.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems, and represents a clear violation of access control principles. From an adversary perspective, this flaw maps to ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which covers valid accounts for privilege escalation, as attackers can exploit the missing authorization to gain elevated privileges within the WordPress environment. Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including immediate plugin updates to versions beyond 5.0.2, thorough access control reviews, and monitoring for unauthorized administrative activities. Additionally, implementing network-level restrictions, multi-factor authentication, and regular security audits can help reduce the attack surface and provide defense-in-depth measures against exploitation attempts targeting this specific authorization flaw.