MailOptin – Popup, Optin Forms & Email…: Improper Privilege Management
CVE-2026-109515 is a critical-severity improper privilege management vulnerability in MailOptin – Popup, Optin Forms & Email Newsletters for Mailchimp, HubSpot, AWeber Etc. from Properfraction, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected MailOptin – Popup, Optin Forms & Email Newsletters for Mailchimp, HubSpot, AWeber Etc. versions: 1.2.78.6 and earlier. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.44% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Check which version of MailOptin – Popup, Optin Forms & Email Newsletters for Mailchimp, HubSpot, AWeber Etc. you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Properfraction | MailOptin – Popup, Optin Forms & Email Newsletters for Mailchimp, HubSpot, AWeber Etc. | 1.2.78.6 and earlier | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (wordfence.com).
Official description
The MailOptin – Popup, Optin Forms & Email Newsletters for Mailchimp, HubSpot, AWeber Etc. plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 1.2.78.6 This is due to the `subscribe_to_email_list` endpoint accepting an attacker-supplied `optin_data[form_custom_field_mappings]` parameter without any allow-list validation on destination keys, allowing the attacker-controlled mapping to override the administrator's saved mapping and pass arbitrary `wp_users` column names — including `ID` and `user_pass` — directly into `wp_insert_user()` via the `subscribe()` function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to force `wp_insert_user()` into UPDATE mode on any existing account by supplying a target user's numeric `ID`, overwrite that account's password with a pre-hashed value of their choosing, and thereby take over any WordPress user account — including administrators — leading to full site compromise. Exploitation requires that a WordPress User Registration opt-in form is published somewhere on the site, though the form's UUID is visible in page source and no authentication, nonce, or capability check is required to reach the vulnerable endpoint.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Privilege Management
The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Very carefully manage the setting, management, and handling of privileges. Explicitly manage trust zones in the software.
- Follow the principle of least privilege when assigning access rights to entities in a software system.
- Consider following the principle of separation of privilege. Require multiple conditions to be met before permitting access to a system resource.
More Improper Privilege Management vulnerabilities (CWE-269)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
References
Other references
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/mailoptin/tags/1.2.78.5/src/connections/WordPressUserRegistrationConnect/S…
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/mailoptin/tags/1.2.78.5/src/core/src/AjaxHandler.php#L699
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/mailoptin/tags/1.2.78.5/src/core/src/Connections/AbstractConnect.php#L84
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3744644/mailoptin/trunk/src/connections/WordPressUserRegistrationConnect…
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?reponame=&new=3744644%40mailoptin%2Ftrunk&old=3738326%40mailoptin%2Ftrun…
- wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/96111116-6b6f-42fc-98d8-6f5c27dc3c1c?source=cve
Recent Improper Privilege Management vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
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