CVE-2026-54853 in Profile Builder Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/29/2026
Missing Authorization vulnerability in Cozmoslabs Profile Builder profile-builder allows Exploiting Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security Levels.This issue affects Profile Builder: from n/a through 4.0.5.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/29/2026
The identified security flaw resides within the Cozmoslabs Profile Builder plugin, specifically affecting versions ranging from initial releases up to version 4.0.5. This vulnerability is classified as a Missing Authorization issue, which fundamentally represents an access control failure where the application does not adequately verify whether the authenticated user has sufficient privileges to perform a requested action or access specific data. In the context of web applications and WordPress plugins, such flaws often manifest when endpoints or administrative functions rely solely on client-side checks or fail to enforce server-side validation of user roles against the intended resource permissions. This misconfiguration allows attackers who have obtained valid credentials for lower-privileged accounts to escalate their privileges or access sensitive information that should be restricted to administrators or higher-level users, thereby undermining the integrity of the application's security model.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-285 Improper Access Control and is closely related to CWE-639 Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key if specific identifiers are manipulated, though the core issue remains the lack of proper authorization checks on server-side operations. The operational impact of such a flaw can be severe in multi-user environments where role-based access control is critical for data segregation and workflow management. An attacker could potentially view or modify profiles belonging to other users, including those with higher privilege levels, leading to unauthorized disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII) or sensitive business data. Furthermore, if the plugin handles administrative settings or user registration processes, an unprivileged user might be able to alter system configurations, create new administrator accounts, or inject malicious content through profile fields that are not properly sanitized and authorized for modification by lower-tier users.
This type of vulnerability is frequently mapped to MITRE ATT&CK techniques involving Privilege Escalation, specifically T1078 Valid Accounts if the attacker uses stolen credentials, combined with T1548 Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism or general access control bypasses that allow lateral movement within the application environment. The exploitation typically requires a low level of effort as it relies on configuration errors rather than complex code injection techniques like SQLi or XSS. Attackers can automate requests to manipulate user IDs or role parameters in HTTP requests, testing for responses that indicate successful unauthorized access without triggering standard security alerts designed to catch more aggressive attack vectors.
To mitigate this vulnerability, immediate action is required by updating the Profile Builder plugin to a version later than 4.0.5 where these authorization checks have been corrected and enforced at the server level. Administrators should ensure that all plugins are kept up-to-date with the latest security patches provided by vendors. In addition to patching, implementing strict input validation and enforcing role-based access control (RBAC) on every endpoint is essential. Security teams should also consider deploying Web Application Firewalls configured to detect anomalous patterns of privilege escalation attempts, such as repeated requests for resources associated with different user IDs from a single session. Regular security audits focusing on authorization logic are recommended to identify similar gaps in other custom or third-party components integrated into the WordPress ecosystem.