CVE-2026-39797 in GDPR Framework Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/06/2026
Unauthenticated PHP Object Injection in GDPR Framework By Data443 <= 2.5.0 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/06/2026
The vulnerability identified as an unauthenticated PHP object injection within the GDPR Framework by Data443, affecting versions up to and including 2.5.0, represents a critical security flaw that compromises the integrity of web applications relying on this plugin for compliance management. This type of vulnerability arises from improper handling of user-supplied input during the deserialization process in PHP environments. When an application accepts data from external sources without adequate validation or sanitization before passing it to functions such as unserialize(), attackers can craft malicious serialized objects that, when processed by the target system, trigger unintended side effects. In this specific context, the lack of authentication required to exploit the flaw means that any remote actor on the network can initiate the attack sequence without needing valid credentials, significantly lowering the barrier for exploitation and increasing the likelihood of successful compromise.
From a technical perspective, PHP object injection exploits the way PHP handles internal classes and their methods during deserialization. If an attacker controls the input passed to unserialize(), they can instantiate arbitrary objects with controlled properties. This allows them to invoke magic methods such as __wakeup(), __destruct(), or __toString() which may execute dangerous functions like file_get_contents, exec, or system calls depending on what classes are available in the application's environment. The GDPR Framework plugin likely exposes endpoints or parameters that accept serialized data directly from user input without verifying its origin or structure. This oversight enables an attacker to manipulate internal state variables of PHP objects, potentially leading to remote code execution, arbitrary file reads, or denial of service conditions by crashing the interpreter through malformed object graphs.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its unauthenticated nature and potential for full system compromise. An adversary could leverage this flaw to gain unauthorized access to sensitive personal data stored within the WordPress database, violating GDPR regulations regarding data protection and privacy. Beyond data exfiltration, successful exploitation can result in complete control over the underlying web server if the PHP environment permits execution of shell commands through object manipulation. This creates a chain reaction where initial foothold leads to lateral movement across internal networks or persistence mechanisms that allow long-term unauthorized access. Organizations using affected versions face significant reputational damage and regulatory penalties due to potential data breaches stemming from this technical weakness.
To mitigate these risks, immediate action is required by upgrading the GDPR Framework plugin to version 2.5.1 or later where the deserialization logic has been hardened against untrusted input. Administrators should also implement strict input validation practices across all custom code interacting with user-supplied data and avoid using unserialize() on any external inputs unless absolutely necessary, opting instead for safer alternatives like JSON decoding when possible. Additionally, deploying a Web Application Firewall can provide an additional layer of defense by detecting and blocking known patterns associated with PHP object injection attacks based on behavioral analysis rather than just signature matching. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other plugins or core themes that might share the same architectural weaknesses regarding unsafe deserialization practices aligned with CWE-502 standards for Deserialization of Untrusted Data and ATT&CK technique T1059 related to command execution via system utilities if code execution is achieved.