CVE-2026-65471 in Core Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/23/2026
Unauthenticated Cross Site Request Forgery (CSRF) in Avada Core <= 5.15.6 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/23/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in the Avada Core WordPress theme affecting versions up to 5.15.6 where an unauthenticated attacker can exploit Cross Site Request Forgery mechanisms to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of legitimate users. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of request origins and lack of proper anti-CSRF token implementation within the theme's administrative interfaces and AJAX endpoints. Attackers can craft malicious requests that appear to originate from authenticated sessions, potentially allowing them to modify site configurations, upload malicious files, or execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges.
The technical exploitation occurs through the absence of secure CSRF protection mechanisms in multiple administrative functions including theme customization options, plugin integration points, and content management interfaces. Without proper origin validation or anti-CSRF tokens, user sessions remain vulnerable to manipulation by external domains. This flaw directly maps to CWE-352, which defines Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities where applications fail to validate that requests originate from legitimate sources. The vulnerability allows attackers to leverage existing user sessions without requiring authentication credentials, creating a significant attack surface for privilege escalation and data manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access as it enables attackers to compromise entire WordPress installations through seemingly innocuous web requests. An attacker could potentially modify theme settings, inject malicious code into the site's configuration, or even establish persistent backdoors through file upload mechanisms that lack proper validation. The lack of authentication requirements makes this particularly dangerous in environments where administrators frequently interact with the site through web browsers, as the attack can be executed simply by having a victim visit a malicious website or click on compromised links.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to Avada Core version 5.15.7 or later which includes proper CSRF token validation and origin checking mechanisms. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing additional security layers such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious cross-site requests. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and following secure coding practices including proper implementation of anti-CSRF protections as recommended in the OWASP Top Ten. Security teams should also monitor for indicators of compromise related to unauthorized changes in theme configurations or unexpected file modifications that could result from exploitation attempts.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and T1546 which addresses privilege escalation through application execution. The attack vector demonstrates how weaknesses in web application security can be leveraged to achieve persistent access and control over target systems. Regular security audits should include verification of CSRF protection mechanisms across all custom themes and plugins, as this vulnerability represents a common pattern in WordPress security flaws where developers overlook fundamental authentication and authorization controls. The incident underscores the necessity for comprehensive security testing including penetration testing and code review processes that specifically target session management and request validation components.