CVE-2026-81194 in MasterStudy LMS Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/02/2026
The MasterStudy LMS WordPress Plugin WordPress plugin before 3.7.46 does not properly verify authorization when retrieving order line-item data, allowing any authenticated user including Subscribers to read other instructors' course sales records by supplying another user's identifier.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/02/2026
The vulnerability identified in the MasterStudy LMS WordPress Plugin prior to version 3.7.46 represents a critical failure in server-side access control mechanisms, specifically categorized under CWE-285 Improper Authorization. This flaw manifests during the retrieval of order line-item data through an API endpoint or administrative function that processes user identifiers as input parameters without adequately validating whether the requesting authenticated user possesses the necessary privileges to view the associated financial records. The core technical deficiency lies in the application logic, which trusts client-supplied arguments for identifying the target resource owner rather than enforcing a strict check against the session context of the currently logged-in user. Consequently, an attacker who has obtained valid credentials for even the lowest privilege tier, such as a Subscriber role, can manipulate these parameters to access sensitive data belonging to other users, particularly instructors whose sales records contain commercially valuable information.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables unauthorized disclosure of confidential business intelligence and personal financial data. Instructors rely on accurate visibility into their own course performance metrics for strategic planning and revenue tracking. By exploiting the ability to supply arbitrary user identifiers, malicious actors can scrape comprehensive lists of other instructors' sales figures, including transaction volumes, payment statuses, and potentially customer details embedded within order metadata. This breach not only violates privacy expectations but also undermines trust in the platform's security posture. The impact extends beyond mere data exposure; it facilitates competitive espionage where rivals could analyze pricing strategies or course popularity based on stolen sales records. Furthermore, such access violations often serve as a precursor to more severe attacks, including account takeover attempts or further exploitation of related administrative features that may share similar authorization flaws.
This type of vulnerability aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts, where attackers leverage legitimate credentials to move laterally and gather information within an environment. It also reflects aspects of CWE-639 Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key, as the attacker controls the key used to identify the resource being accessed. The lack of proper authorization checks means that the application fails to enforce separation between different user roles regarding sensitive data access. To mitigate this risk, developers must implement robust server-side validation for all API endpoints and administrative functions involved in retrieving personal or financial data. This involves ensuring that every request verifies that the authenticated session owner matches the resource owner specified in the request parameters. Additionally, implementing role-based access control checks at the function level can prevent lower-privileged users from invoking methods designed exclusively for higher-tier roles like Instructors or Administrators. Regular security audits and static code analysis focused on authorization logic are essential to identify and rectify such flaws before deployment.