CVE-2026-8825 in Website Builder Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/20/2026
The Elementor Website Builder WordPress plugin before 4.1.4 does not properly check user permissions before returning post data through one of its REST endpoints, allowing authenticated users with Contributor-level access and above to retrieve the title, body and metadata of private posts, private pages and drafts authored by other users (including administrators).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/20/2026
The vulnerability in Elementor Website Builder WordPress plugin affects versions prior to 4.1.4 and represents a critical authorization bypass flaw that undermines the security model of content management systems. This issue stems from inadequate permission validation within the plugin's REST API endpoints, specifically targeting the data retrieval mechanisms that should enforce strict access controls based on user roles and post ownership. The flaw allows authenticated users who possess Contributor-level privileges or higher to exploit this weakness and gain unauthorized access to sensitive content that should remain restricted to authorized personnel only.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the REST endpoint design where the plugin fails to perform proper capability checks before serving post data. When users with Contributor access make requests to specific API endpoints, the system returns comprehensive metadata including titles, content bodies, and various administrative details of private posts, pages, and drafts created by other users. This exposure occurs regardless of whether the requesting user has explicit permission to view such content, effectively bypassing WordPress's inherent security controls that typically restrict access based on user roles and post ownership. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and leverages the REST API framework that WordPress provides, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through automated tools or manual exploitation techniques.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, creating significant risks for organizations relying on WordPress for content management. Attackers with Contributor-level access can gather detailed intelligence about unpublished content, internal organizational structures, strategic plans, and potentially sensitive business data that administrators intended to keep private until publication. This unauthorized access can facilitate social engineering attacks, competitive intelligence gathering, and provide attackers with information needed for more sophisticated exploitation attempts. The vulnerability affects all types of WordPress content including posts, pages, and drafts, making it a comprehensive exposure that could compromise entire content management workflows and organizational security postures.
Security professionals should note this vulnerability aligns with CWE-285 (Improper Authorization) and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in information security. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique where attackers can leverage lower-level access to gain visibility into restricted resources. Organizations should immediately implement the patch available in Elementor version 4.1.4 or higher, which resolves the permission checking mechanism by enforcing proper capability validation before returning any post data. Additional mitigations include monitoring REST API access logs for unusual patterns, implementing network-level restrictions on API endpoints, and conducting regular security audits of WordPress plugins to ensure compliance with security best practices. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of validating user permissions at every layer of application logic and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of REST API implementations in content management systems.