Administrator account creation via unchecked role parameter
Published Oct 11, 2025 · Updated Apr 8, 2026
Privilege escalation in the WP Freeio plugin 1.2.21 and earlier allows remote attackers to create WordPress administrator accounts. WP_Freeio_User::process_register() copies the submitted role into user data without restricting it before calling wp_insert_user(). Public registration must be reachable; successful exploitation grants administrative control over site content, plugins, themes, and settings.
Summary
What happened
Privilege escalation in the WP Freeio plugin 1.2.21 and earlier allows remote attackers to create WordPress administrator accounts. WP_Freeio_User::process_register() copies the submitted role into user data without restricting it before calling wp_insert_user(). Public registration must be reachable; successful exploitation grants administrative control over site content, plugins, themes, and settings.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-11533
- Published
- Oct 11, 2025
- Updated
- Apr 8, 2026
- Vendor
- ApusTheme
- Product
- Freeio
- Classifications
- CWE-269, T1098
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 10, 2025Exploitation reportedWordfence observed active exploitation of WP Freeio
- Oct 11, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 8, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=0 <=1.2.21
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Public exploit references
- Wordfence example WP Freeio registration requestfunctional · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Reported exploitation
- Wordfence observed active exploitation of WP Freeioreported exploitation
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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