CVE-2026-2257

GetGenie <= 4.3.2 - Insecure Direct Object Reference to Authenticated (Author+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via REST API

2026-03-12 19:30
Quốc Huy (jtwings)

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 4.3.3
Affected Plugin
GetGenie – AI SEO Assistant & Content Writer with Keyword Research, AEO & GEO
Affected Version
<= 4.3.2
CVSS
6.4Medium
Weakness type
CWE-639 · Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key
CVE
CVE-2026-2257
View all GetGenie – AI SEO Assistant & Content Writer with Keyword Research, AEO & GEO vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2026-2257 is a medium-severity Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key vulnerability in the GetGenie WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 4.3.2. It carries a CVSS score of 6.4 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity). Exploitation requires an authenticated account at Author level or above. The issue is fixed in version 4.3.3; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed March 2026, reported by Quốc Huy (jtwings).

Vulnerability Overview

The GetGenie plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Insecure Direct Object Reference in all versions up to, and including, 4.3.2 due to missing validation on a user controlled key in the `action` function. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Author-level access and above, to update post metadata for arbitrary posts. Combined with a lack of input sanitization, this leads to Stored Cross-Site Scripting when a higher-privileged user (such as an Administrator) views the affected post's "Competitor" tab in the GetGenie sidebar.

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-639: Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key

GetGenie <= 4.3.2 carries this weakness at Competitor, and reaching it takes an account at Author level or above. Authorization bypass through a user-controlled key, often called insecure direct object reference, means the application looks up a record by an identifier from the request without checking that the caller owns it.

Changing a number in the request is enough to read or modify other users' records, which on commerce and membership sites means customer data. For GetGenie the fix is 4.3.3: builds <= 4.3.2 are affected, anything from 4.3.3 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 4.3.3, or a newer patched version

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: GetGenie 4.3.3 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Login Security
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-2257https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/0f7b119d-ec56-40cb-80ef-67585dadad77https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-2257

Related records

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