CVE-2026-17553

Shopping Cart & eCommerce Store <= 5.9.3 - Authenticated (Store Manager+) Privilege Escalation to ec_ajax_save_page_default_options AJAX Action

2026-09-08 14:56
Wordfence PRISM

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 5.9.4
Affected Version
<= 5.9.3
CVSS
7.2High
Weakness type
CWE-269 · Improper Privilege Management
CVE
CVE-2026-17553
View all Shopping Cart & eCommerce Store vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2026-17553 is a high-severity Improper Privilege Management vulnerability in the Shopping Cart & eCommerce Store WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 5.9.3. It carries a CVSS score of 7.2 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account at Store Manager level or above. The issue is fixed in version 5.9.4; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed September 2026, reported by Wordfence PRISM.

Vulnerability Overview

The WP EasyCart plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to privilege escalation in versions up to, and including, 5.9.3. This is due to the ec_ajax_save_page_default_options() AJAX handler iterating over every $_POST key and passing it directly into update_option() without any allowlist, while gating the handler only on 'manage_options' OR the plugin's custom 'wpec_manager' capability. The plugin's built-in 'wpec_store_manager' role holds 'wpec_manager' but not 'manage_options', and the required nonce is emitted on frontend product/category templates that render for any user with 'wpec_manager'. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Store Manager-level access and above, to elevate their privileges to administrator by updating arbitrary WordPress options such as default_role='administrator' and users_can_register='1', then self-registering a new account that is assigned the administrator 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 interaction from a victim user. A successful exploit has high impact on confidentiality, integrity, availability — full site compromise territory.

CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management

Shopping Cart & eCommerce Store <= 5.9.3 carries this weakness at manage_options, and reaching it takes an account at Store Manager level or above. 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 Shopping Cart & eCommerce Store the fix is 5.9.4: builds <= 5.9.3 are affected, anything from 5.9.4 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 5.9.4, 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: Shopping Cart & eCommerce Store 5.9.4 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Login Security
  • Alerts

External References

Related records

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