CVE-2026-7527 in Hide My WP Ghost Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/19/2026
The WP Ghost (Hide My WP Ghost) – Security & Firewall plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Open Redirect in all versions up to, and including, 7.0.02. This is due to the plugin not properly validating user input. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to redirect users to potentially malicious sites if they can successfully trick them into clicking on a specially crafted link. Exploitation requires tricking a logged-in user into clicking a crafted logout URL; the victim is fully logged out via wp_logout() before the malicious redirect is issued, making the logout irreversible as part of the attack chain.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2026
The WP Ghost plugin for WordPress contains an open redirect vulnerability affecting all versions up to and including 7.0.02. This flaw stems from insufficient validation of user-supplied input within the plugin's handling of authentication-related endpoints, specifically those involved in session termination processes. The core technical deficiency lies in the application logic failing to restrict or sanitize destination URLs provided by users during logout operations. When a user initiates a logout sequence through this vulnerable component, the system constructs a redirect URL based on unvalidated parameters without implementing strict allow-listing mechanisms for permitted domains. This lack of rigorous input validation allows an attacker to inject arbitrary external URLs into the redirection flow, effectively hijacking the post-logout navigation path intended by the application.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables unauthenticated attackers to deceive users into visiting malicious third-party websites. The exploitation chain is particularly insidious because it leverages a legitimate administrative action performed by the victim. An attacker crafts a specially designed logout URL that includes a redirect parameter pointing to a phishing site or malware distribution center. When a logged-in user clicks this link, they are first processed through the standard WordPress wp_logout function, which terminates their session and clears authentication cookies. Immediately following this state change, the application issues an HTTP redirection response directing the browser to the attacker-controlled domain. Because the logout operation is completed before the redirect occurs, the victim loses all active sessions with the target site irreversibly during the attack process.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple session termination. The irreversible nature of the logout means that victims cannot simply refresh a page or re-authenticate to regain access without manually logging in again, which may be done on the malicious phishing site if they are tricked into doing so there instead of returning to the legitimate WordPress admin area. This increases the likelihood of credential theft through social engineering tactics. Attackers can exploit this by embedding such links in emails, forums, or other web pages where users might trust the context enough to click a logout link without suspicion. The combination of session invalidation and redirection creates a high-confidence phishing scenario where the user perceives they are simply logging out but is instead funneled into an attacker-controlled environment designed to harvest credentials or deliver further malware payloads.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-601, which defines Open Redirect as a flaw in web application logic that allows attackers to redirect users from trusted domains to untrusted ones. The attack vector also correlates with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1566.002, known as Spearphishing Link, where adversaries send links via spearphishing emails or messages to trick victims into visiting malicious sites. Additionally, the irreversible logout aspect touches upon availability concerns related to session management integrity, although the primary risk remains confidentiality and trust exploitation through phishing.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of the WP Ghost plugin to a version that resolves this input validation issue. Administrators must ensure they are running versions released after 7.0.02 where proper URL sanitization is implemented. In cases where updating is not immediately feasible, administrators can implement server-side rules using web application firewalls or reverse proxy configurations to block requests containing suspicious redirect parameters in logout endpoints. It is also advisable to enforce strict output encoding and validate destination URLs against a whitelist of allowed domains before issuing any redirection responses. User awareness training should complement technical controls by educating users about the risks of clicking on unexpected logout links, especially those received via email or third-party platforms, to reduce the success rate of social engineering attempts leveraging this flaw.