CVE-2026-15309
Deferred Deferred - Pending Action

Privilege Escalation in CourseCure Courses WordPress Plugin

Publication date: 2026-11-12

Last updated on: 2026-11-12

Assigner: Wordfence

Description
The CourseCure Courses plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in versions up to, and including, 1.5.1. This is due to a missing capability check in the ajax_save_settings() function, which accepts arbitrary POST parameters and calls update_option() with attacker-controlled keys and values without any authorization verification. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level access and above, to elevate their privileges to administrator by setting the default_role WordPress option to 'administrator' and users_can_register to '1', then registering a new account that is automatically granted full administrator access.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-11-12
Last Modified
2026-11-12
Generated
2026-11-12
AI Q&A
2026-11-12
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-15309
EUVD
EUVD-2026-124347

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
WishList Member CourseCure Courses From 0 (inc) to 1.5.1 (inc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-269 The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a privilege escalation flaw in the CourseCure Courses WordPress plugin up to version 1.5.1. It allows authenticated users with subscriber-level access or higher to gain administrator privileges by exploiting a missing capability check in the ajax_save_settings() function. Attackers can set the default_role option to 'administrator' and enable user registration, then register a new account that automatically receives full admin access.

Detection Guidance

Check if the CourseCure Courses plugin version is 1.5.1 or lower. Look for unauthorized privilege changes or new admin accounts. Review WordPress settings for default_role set to administrator and users_can_register enabled.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this vulnerability allows attackers to take full control of your WordPress site. They can create new admin accounts, modify site settings, install malicious plugins, steal data, or deface the website. The attack requires only subscriber-level access, making it dangerous even for low-privilege users.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access and data breaches, violating GDPR and HIPAA requirements for data protection and access control. A successful exploit may result in unauthorized modification or exfiltration of sensitive data, triggering compliance violations and potential legal penalties.

Mitigation Strategies

Update the CourseCure Courses plugin to version 1.5.3 or later immediately. Remove any unauthorized admin accounts. Disable user registration if not needed and set default_role to a non-admin level.

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