Subscriber-to-Administrator escalation via REST callback overwrite
Published Aug 22, 2026 · Updated Aug 22, 2026
Missing authorization in Security Hardener 2.4.4 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to gain Administrator access via REST requests. The default-enabled secure_user_endpoints() hook replaces every permission_callback on WordPress user routes with is_user_logged_in(), removing the original create, edit, promote, and delete capability checks. Subscriber-level access is sufficient to create a new Administrator account or reset an existing Administrator's password.
Summary
What happened
Missing authorization in Security Hardener 2.4.4 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to gain Administrator access via REST requests. The default-enabled secure_user_endpoints() hook replaces every permission_callback on WordPress user routes with is_user_logged_in(), removing the original create, edit, promote, and delete capability checks. Subscriber-level access is sufficient to create a new Administrator account or reset an existing Administrator's password.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-16149
- Published
- Aug 22, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 22, 2026
- Vendor
- Marc Armengou
- Product
- Security Hardener
- Classifications
- CWE-269, T1098
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 22, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 22, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=0 <=2.4.4
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
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo