CVE-2026-15017
Received Received - Intake

Privilege Escalation in MDJM Event Management WordPress Plugin

Publication date: 2026-07-23

Last updated on: 2026-07-23

Assigner: Wordfence

Description
The MDJM Event Management plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 1.7.8.4. This is due to missing capability checks and nonce verification in the `MDJM_Permissions::set_permissions()` and `MDJM_Employee_Manager::init()` functions, combined with the absence of server-side allow-list validation on the `employee_roles[]` and `new_role` POST parameters before they are passed to `mdjm_set_employee_role()` and `WP_User::set_role()`. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to grant arbitrary MDJM capabilities — including `mdjm_employee` and `mdjm_employee_edit` — to any registered WordPress role, and subsequently leverage a subscriber-level account to escalate privileges to Administrator. `MDJM_Permissions::init()` is registered on the public WordPress `init` hook without any authentication gate, meaning the role-manipulation endpoint is reachable without any prior login.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-07-23
Last Modified
2026-07-23
Generated
2026-07-23
AI Q&A
2026-07-23
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-15017
EUVD
EUVD-2026-47901

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
mdjm mdjm_event_management to 1.7.8.4 (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 MDJM Event Management WordPress plugin up to version 1.7.8.4. It allows unauthenticated attackers to grant arbitrary MDJM capabilities to any registered WordPress role by exploiting missing capability checks and nonce verification in specific functions. Attackers can then use a subscriber-level account to escalate privileges to Administrator.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this vulnerability could allow attackers to gain full administrative access to your WordPress site. This means they could take control of your site, modify content, install malicious plugins, steal data, or disrupt operations. Even with minimal access, attackers can escalate privileges to Administrator level.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access and data breaches, violating compliance requirements under GDPR and HIPAA. GDPR mandates strict data protection and breach notification, while HIPAA requires safeguarding protected health information. A successful exploit may result in non-compliance, legal penalties, and reputational damage.

Mitigation Strategies

Immediately update the MDJM Event Management plugin to the latest version beyond 1.7.8.4. If an update is not available, consider disabling the plugin until a patch is released. Review WordPress user roles for unauthorized privilege escalations and remove any suspicious Administrator-level roles assigned to subscriber accounts.

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