CVE-2026-93942 in Dwell Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/10/2026
Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in ThemeREX Group Dwell dwell allows Object Injection.This issue affects Dwell: from n/a through 1.16.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/10/2026
The identified security flaw represents a critical deserialization vulnerability within the Dwell theme developed by ThemeREX Group, specifically impacting versions ranging from initial releases up to version 1.16.0. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of insecure deserialization, which is consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous web application risks according to industry standards such as CWE-502 and OWASP Top Ten guidelines. The core issue arises when the software processes data from an untrusted source without adequate validation or sanitization before attempting to reconstruct it into a native object structure within the application's memory space. In this specific context, the vulnerability allows for Object Injection, meaning that an attacker can manipulate the serialized data stream to inject malicious objects that are then instantiated by the vulnerable PHP environment during the deserialization process.
From a technical perspective, modern programming languages like PHP utilize serialization mechanisms to convert complex data structures into byte streams for storage or transmission and vice versa. When these systems deserialize untrusted input, they rely on predefined class maps to instantiate corresponding object types. If an attacker can control the serialized payload, they may supply crafted inputs that reference classes with dangerous magic methods such as __wakeup(), __destruct(), or __toString(). These methods are automatically invoked during deserialization and often contain logic for file operations, database queries, or system command execution. By exploiting this mechanism, a remote unauthenticated attacker can achieve arbitrary code execution on the affected server, effectively gaining full control over the underlying infrastructure hosting the WordPress site.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for complete system compromise. Once an attacker successfully exploits the object injection flaw, they are not limited to simple data theft or defacement but can execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the web server process. This capability aligns closely with several techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter for executing system-level commands and T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution if combined with other vectors. The attacker could install persistent backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive database contents including user credentials and site configurations, or pivot to attack internal network resources depending on the server's connectivity and security posture. Given that WordPress themes are often widely deployed across numerous websites, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to a broad segment of the web ecosystem if left unpatched.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate remediation through software updates. Administrators running Dwell theme versions up to 1.16.0 should upgrade to the latest patched version released by ThemeREX Group as soon as possible, ensuring that the vendor has implemented proper input validation and restricted deserialization sources. In scenarios where an update cannot be applied immediately due to compatibility constraints or deployment delays, defensive measures such as implementing strict allowlists for serialized classes can help mitigate risk. Additionally, deploying Web Application Firewalls with rules capable of detecting anomalous serialization patterns may provide a layer of defense against exploitation attempts. It is also crucial to enforce principle of least privilege on the hosting environment, ensuring that the web server process operates with minimal permissions to limit the blast radius in case an exploit succeeds. Regular security audits and monitoring for unusual file system changes or network connections are recommended to detect potential compromises early.