CVE-2026-93882 in LearnPress Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/01/2026
The LearnPress – WordPress LMS Plugin for Create and Sell Online Courses plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Insecure Direct Object Reference in versions up to, and including, 4.4.8 via the CourseMaterialTemplate::render_material_items() callback exposed on the public lp-ajax-handle (load_content_via_ajax) endpoint. The endpoint is explicitly listed in the AbstractAjax no-nonce allowlist and performs no capability check, and the render_material_items() handler decides authorization against one attacker-supplied identifier (course_id) while fetching the returned material rows via a second, independently attacker-supplied identifier (item_id) with no check that the lesson belongs to the authorized course. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to read and download course-material files (uploaded and external file paths/URLs) belonging to lessons in paid or enrollment-required courses, provided any single course on the site has 'No Required Enroll' enabled and owns at least one material file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/01/2026
The vulnerability identified as an Insecure Direct Object Reference affects the LearnPress plugin for WordPress, specifically within versions up to 4.4.8. This flaw resides in the CourseMaterialTemplate::render_material_items() callback function, which is exposed through the public lp-ajax-handle endpoint under the action load_content_via_ajax. The security architecture of this endpoint relies on an AbstractAjax no-nonce allowlist mechanism that explicitly permits access without standard nonce verification or capability checks. Consequently, any unauthenticated user can invoke this endpoint directly via HTTP requests, bypassing typical WordPress authentication layers and gaining entry to sensitive internal logic designed for authenticated course participants.
The core technical flaw lies in the authorization logic implemented within the render_material_items handler. The function accepts two distinct parameters from the attacker: a course_id and an item_id. The code performs an authorization check solely against the provided course_id, verifying if the user has access to that specific course context. However, when fetching the actual material rows associated with the request, it utilizes the independently supplied item_id without validating whether that specific item belongs to the authorized course or even exists within a valid lesson structure linked to that course. This decoupling of authorization checks from data retrieval creates a classic IDOR scenario where an attacker can manipulate the item identifier to access resources outside their intended scope.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant, allowing unauthenticated attackers to read and download sensitive course materials. These materials include uploaded files such as PDFs, documents, or media assets, as well as external file paths and URLs embedded within lessons. The exploitability condition requires that at least one course on the WordPress site has its enrollment settings configured to allow access without required login or payment, known as No Required Enroll. If this condition is met for any single course, an attacker can leverage that entry point to enumerate item IDs from other courses and subsequently download materials belonging to paid or enrollment-required courses. This effectively circumvents paywalls and privacy controls intended to restrict content to paying students only.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes Improper Access Control involving Insecure Direct Object References. The attack vector is consistent with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1078, specifically Valid Accounts or Public Credentials if the attacker leverages any public-facing course to pivot into private content areas. Furthermore, it reflects aspects of CWE-639, which concerns Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key. The lack of server-side validation ensuring that the requested item_id is strictly associated with the authorized course_id represents a fundamental failure in object-level access control mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies must address both the immediate code flaw and broader architectural weaknesses. Immediate remediation involves modifying the render_material_items function to enforce strict ownership verification, ensuring that every item_id retrieved belongs exclusively to lessons within the currently authorized course context. Developers should also implement proper capability checks using WordPress functions such as current_user_can() before processing any AJAX requests on this endpoint. Additionally, replacing the no-nonce allowlist approach with standard nonce-based authentication for sensitive operations would significantly raise the barrier for unauthenticated exploitation. Long-term fixes require a comprehensive audit of all public-facing endpoints to ensure that authorization is validated at every level of data access, not just at the initial entry point.