PilotPress Plugin up to 2.0.43 on WordPress AJAX handler update_cc_details username privileges management

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability labeled as critical has been found in PilotPress Plugin up to 2.0.43. The affected element is the function update_cc_details of the component AJAX handler. Such manipulation of the argument Username leads to privileges management. This vulnerability is referenced as CVE-2026-85659. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. No exploit is available.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in PilotPress Plugin up to 2.0.43. Affected by this issue is the function update_cc_details of the component AJAX handler. The manipulation of the argument username with an unknown input leads to a privileges management vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-269. The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

The PilotPress plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation via Account Takeover in all versions up to, and including, 2.0.43. The vulnerability exists because the `update_cc_details()` AJAX handler forwards an attacker-supplied `username` parameter to ONTRAPORT via `api_call('update_cc_details', ...)` before performing the local `username_exists()` collision check, and aborts without rolling back the remote rename when a collision is detected — leaving the remote ONTRAPORT contact renamed to an existing WordPress Administrator's login. On a subsequent login attempt, `user_login()` (hooked to `wp_authenticate`) authenticates against ONTRAPORT using the renamed login and the attacker's own password, resolves the local WordPress user row via `get_user_by('login', $username)` — which now selects the real Administrator's row — and calls `wp_set_password()` against that Administrator's user ID; because the `user_level != 10` guard only suppresses PilotPress's own cookie issuance rather than returning a `WP_Error` to core, WordPress proceeds to validate the newly-synchronized password and issues a full Administrator authentication cookie to the attacker. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with Subscriber-level access and above — specifically any PilotPress member holding a valid ONTRAPORT contact and the Customer Center nonce — to fully take over an Administrator account.

The advisory is available at wordfence.com. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2026-85659 since 09/04/2026. The exploitation is known to be easy. The attack may be launched remotely. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit. The structure of the vulnerability defines a possible price range of USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 10/16/2026). This vulnerability is assigned to T1068 by the MITRE ATT&CK project.

There is no information about possible countermeasures known. It may be suggested to replace the affected object with an alternative product.

If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

Productinfo

Type

• WordPress Plugin

Name

• PilotPress Plugin

Version

• 2.0.0
• 2.0.1
• 2.0.2
• 2.0.3
• 2.0.4
• 2.0.5
• 2.0.6
• 2.0.7
• 2.0.8
• 2.0.9
• 2.0.10
• 2.0.11
• 2.0.12
• 2.0.13
• 2.0.14
• 2.0.15
• 2.0.16
• 2.0.17
• 2.0.18
• 2.0.19
• 2.0.20
• 2.0.21
• 2.0.22
• 2.0.23
• 2.0.24
• 2.0.25
• 2.0.26
• 2.0.27
• 2.0.28
• 2.0.29
• 2.0.30
• 2.0.31
• 2.0.32
• 2.0.33
• 2.0.34
• 2.0.35
• 2.0.36
• 2.0.37
• 2.0.38
• 2.0.39
• 2.0.40
• 2.0.41
• 2.0.42
• 2.0.43

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

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