CVE-2026-62134 in Starter Templates Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/11/2026
Contributor Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR) in Starter Templates <= 4.7.5 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/11/2026
The vulnerability identified as an insecure direct object reference within the Contributor role of Starter Templates plugin versions prior to or equal to 4.7.5 represents a critical access control failure that allows unauthorized users to manipulate resources belonging to other users or administrative accounts. This flaw stems from the application's reliance on client-supplied input, such as user identifiers or post IDs, to perform operations without adequately verifying whether the authenticated user possesses the necessary permissions for those specific objects. In web applications, direct object references are common mechanisms for accessing data, but when these references are not properly validated against the current session's authorization context, they become susceptible to exploitation by attackers seeking to escalate privileges or access sensitive information.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability exploits the lack of server-side enforcement of role-based access controls during critical actions such as editing, deleting, or viewing template configurations and associated content. When a user with Contributor-level permissions interacts with the plugin's interface, the application may accept parameters that reference administrative resources or other users' data without checking if the current session holds the requisite capabilities defined by WordPress roles. This oversight enables an attacker to craft malicious requests that bypass intended restrictions, effectively allowing them to perform actions reserved for higher-privileged roles such as Editors or Administrators. The root cause lies in the absence of rigorous identity verification steps before processing state-changing operations on server-side resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant, particularly in multi-author WordPress environments where multiple contributors manage content and templates. An attacker with a low-level Contributor account can potentially modify template settings that affect site-wide appearance or functionality, delete critical configuration data, or access private information stored within the plugin's database tables. This compromise undermines the principle of least privilege, which is fundamental to secure system design, and can lead to defacement, data leakage, or further exploitation through chained attacks involving other vulnerabilities in the same ecosystem. The integrity of the website's content management structure is directly jeopardized by this flaw.
This issue aligns with CWE-639, Insecure Direct Object Reference, which categorizes flaws where an application exposes a reference to an internal implementation object such as a file, directory, or database key without proper access control checks. Furthermore, it maps to the MITRE ATT&CK technique T1078, Valid Accounts, specifically under the sub-technique of using existing valid accounts with insufficient privileges to gain unauthorized access. The exploitation vector typically involves HTTP request manipulation where an attacker modifies parameters like user ID or object ID in API calls or form submissions directed at the plugin's endpoints.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve upgrading the Starter Templates plugin to version 4.7.6 or later, which addresses these authorization checks by implementing proper role verification before processing requests. In environments where immediate patching is not feasible, administrators should enforce strict server-side validation of user capabilities for all actions involving template management and content modification. Additionally, applying web application firewalls with rules that detect anomalous parameter changes in administrative endpoints can provide a layer of defense against exploitation attempts until the software update is applied. Regular security audits focusing on access control logic are recommended to prevent similar vulnerabilities from persisting in custom or third-party integrations.