Vulnerability Description
The User Profile Builder plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Authentication Bypass via Type Confusion in versions up to, and including, 3.16.4. This is due to the wppb_log_in_user() function calling absint() on the return value of wp_insert_user() before performing an is_wp_error() check — when a registration is submitted with a 61–70 character username, WordPress core rejects it with a WP_Error object, but absint() coerces that object to the integer 1 before the error check can short-circuit execution, causing the plugin to bind and return a transient-backed autologin nonce tied to user ID 1. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to log in as the site's Administrator account (user ID 1), resulting in full administrative takeover of the site.
CVSS Score
CRITICAL
Related Weaknesses (CWE)
References
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/profile-builder/tags/3.16.4/features/
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/profile-builder/tags/3.16.4/front-end
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/profile-builder/tags/3.16.4/front-end
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/profile-builder/tags/3.16.4/front-end
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/profile-builder/tags/3.16.4/front-end
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/profile-builder/tags/3.16.4/front-end
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/profile-builder/tags/3.16.4/front-end
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3609855/profile-builder
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/9f606fba-f779-42ea-a16
FAQ
What is CVE-2026-15826?
CVE-2026-15826 is a vulnerability with a CVSS score of 9.8 (CRITICAL). The User Profile Builder plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Authentication Bypass via Type Confusion in versions up to, and including, 3.16.4. This is due to the wppb_log_in_user() function calling...
How severe is CVE-2026-15826?
CVE-2026-15826 has been rated CRITICAL with a CVSS base score of 9.8/10. This is considered a critical vulnerability requiring immediate attention.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-15826?
Check the references section above for vendor advisories and patch information. Review vendor security bulletins for remediation guidance.