CVE-2026-65433 in RT Mega Menu Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/27/2026
Subscriber Broken Access Control in RT Mega Menu – Mega Menu Builder for Elementor & Gutenberg <= 1.5.1 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/27/2026
The RT Mega Menu plugin for Elementor and Gutenberg represents a critical access control vulnerability that affects versions up to and including 1.5.1, creating a significant security risk for WordPress websites utilizing this popular menu building tool. This vulnerability stems from improper authorization checks within the plugin's administrative interfaces, allowing unauthorized users to bypass normal access restrictions and gain elevated privileges. The flaw specifically impacts subscriber accounts who should only have limited capabilities within the WordPress administration panel, yet can exploit this weakness to perform actions typically restricted to administrators or editors. The vulnerability manifests when the plugin fails to properly validate user permissions before executing sensitive operations such as menu modifications, plugin configuration changes, or access to administrative features that should remain protected from lower-privilege accounts.
The technical implementation of this broken access control flaw involves insufficient input validation and authorization checks within the plugin's PHP codebase, particularly in how it handles user role verification during administrative requests. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting specific API calls or form submissions that bypass the standard WordPress capability checks, allowing them to manipulate menu structures, modify plugin settings, or potentially gain deeper system access. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which specifically addresses improper authorization scenarios in software systems, and represents a classic example of how insufficient privilege validation can lead to privilege escalation attacks. This type of flaw typically occurs when developers assume that certain administrative functions are only accessible through proper authentication flows, without implementing additional checks for user roles and capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables malicious subscribers to potentially compromise entire websites through menu manipulation or by exploiting the elevated privileges gained through access control bypass. Attackers could use this weakness to install backdoors, modify website content, redirect visitors to malicious sites, or gain persistent access to the WordPress administration panel. The vulnerability affects not only the immediate plugin functionality but also creates potential vectors for further attacks within the WordPress ecosystem. This weakness can be exploited as part of a broader attack chain where initial access is gained through compromised user credentials and then escalated using this access control flaw to achieve more significant compromise objectives.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate upgrading to version 1.5.2 or later, which addresses the access control vulnerability through proper capability checks and role validation mechanisms. Administrators must also implement additional security measures such as monitoring for unusual administrative activities, restricting user roles to minimum required permissions, and regularly auditing plugin installations for known vulnerabilities. The remediation process should involve thorough code review of all administrative interfaces within WordPress plugins to ensure proper authorization checks are implemented. Security professionals should consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious administrative requests, while also maintaining regular security updates across all WordPress components including themes, plugins, and core software. Organizations should follow ATT&CK framework principles by implementing defense-in-depth strategies that include monitoring for privilege escalation attempts and maintaining comprehensive incident response procedures for potential exploitation of such access control vulnerabilities.