Optional Email <= 1.3.11 - Unauthenticated Privilege Escalation to Account Takeover

2026-01-06 19:57

Drew Webber (mcdruid)

Strategic Overview

Status

Unpatched

Affected PluginOptional Email

Affected Version<= 1.3.11

CVSS9.8Critical

CVECVE-2025-15018

View all Optional Email vulnerabilities

Vulnerability Overview

The Optional Email plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation via Account Takeover in all versions up to, and including, 1.3.11. This is due to the plugin not restricting its 'random_password' filter to registration contexts, allowing the filter to affect password reset key generation. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to set a known password reset key when initiating a password reset, reset the password of any user including administrators, and gain access to their accounts.

Technical Analysis

REMEDIATION: No known patch available. Please review the vulnerability's details in depth and employ mitigations based on your organization's risk tolerance. It may be best to uninstall the affected software and find a replacement. --- IDENTIFIER: CWE-639 (Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key) The system's authorization functionality does not prevent one user from gaining access to another user's data or record by modifying the key value identifying the data.

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-15018 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/ff4243e9-cf72-40d5-bc7d-204426024a1d

CVSS Vector

9.8

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredNone
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh

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