WordPress Core <= 7.1 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Missing Authorization to Network Plugin Activation (Multisite)

2026-09-17 00:00
Jesse McNeil

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 6.6.8
Affected Core
WordPress 7.1
Affected Version
6.6.7 – 7.1 · 6 branches
CVSS
2.7Low
Weakness type
CWE-862 · Missing Authorization
CVE
CVE pending
View all WordPress 7.1 vulnerabilities

At a glance

This record tracks a low-severity Missing Authorization vulnerability in the WordPress 7.1 WordPress release line, affecting 6.6.7 – 7.1 · 6 branches. It carries a CVSS score of 2.7 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity). Exploitation requires an authenticated account at Administrator level or above. The issue is fixed in version 6.6.8; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed September 2026, reported by Jesse McNeil.

Vulnerability Overview

WordPress Core is vulnerable to Missing Authorization via the wp_ajax_activate_plugin() AJAX action in various versions up to, and including, 7.1 due to a missing manage_network_plugins capability check when activating a network-only plugin, and a path-normalization mismatch between is_network_only_plugin() and activate_plugin(). This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with site-administrator access on a Multisite network to network-activate an installed network-only plugin.

Technical Analysis

The vector marks this flaw as remotely reachable over the network, with low attack complexity — no special timing or configuration is needed, and no interaction from a victim user.

CWE-862: Missing Authorization

WordPress 7.1 6.6.7 – 7.1 · 6 branches carries this weakness at wp_ajax_activate_plugin(), and reaching it takes an account at Administrator level or above. A missing authorization check means a function is reachable by anyone who can reach the endpoint, because the code never asks whether the caller is allowed to perform the action.

Any user who can reach the endpoint gets to run an action reserved for higher-privileged roles, from reading protected data to changing settings or content. For WordPress 7.1 the fix is 6.6.8: builds 6.6.7 – 7.1 · 6 branches are affected, anything from 6.6.8 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to one of the following versions, or a newer patched version: 6.6.8, 6.7.8, 6.8.9, 6.9.8, 7.0.5, 7.1.1

How does WordSec protect against this?

Because it turns on account access, WordSec's login security is the relevant layer: role-based two-factor, captcha and brute-force limits raise the cost of getting the account this needs. None of that substitutes for the fix: updating to 6.6.8 is the step that ends it.

  • Login Security
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/dc1ae2c7-1eff-4976-8f88-f0b97a5cf323

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