CVE-2026-82842

SAML Single Sign On <= 5.0.0 - Unauthenticated Privilege Escalation

2026-09-18 00:00
Karthik Ramakrishnan

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 6.0.0
Affected Plugin
SAML Single Sign On – SSO Login
Affected Version
<= 5.0.0
CVSS
7.3High
Weakness type
CWE-269 · Improper Privilege Management
CVE
CVE-2026-82842
View all SAML Single Sign On – SSO Login vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2026-82842 is a high-severity Improper Privilege Management vulnerability in the SAML Single Sign On WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 5.0.0. It carries a CVSS score of 7.3 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity). Exploitation requires no authentication. The issue is fixed in version 6.0.0; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed September 2026, reported by Karthik Ramakrishnan.

Vulnerability Overview

The SAML Single Sign On plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 5.0.0. This is due to insufficient restriction on the capabilities a user may grant themselves. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to elevate their privileges beyond those intended for their role.

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 privileges on the target site, and no interaction from a victim user.

CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management

Reaching this weakness in SAML Single Sign On <= 5.0.0 takes no account at all. Improper privilege management means the code lets an account end up with capabilities its role should not have.

It converts a low-privileged account into an administrative one, which makes every other restriction on the site irrelevant. For SAML Single Sign On the fix is 6.0.0: builds <= 5.0.0 are affected, anything from 6.0.0 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 6.0.0, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

This one needs no account at all, which puts it outside what login hardening can reach; WordSec's login security narrows the account-level paths around it, and the firewall is what inspects the request itself. None of that substitutes for the fix: SAML Single Sign On 6.0.0 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Login Security
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-82842https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/3a9f5602-f798-4beb-a3e7-06338f817ce2https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-82842

Related records

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