faustjs: Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity
CVE-2026-54239 is a high-severity insufficient verification of data authenticity vulnerability in faustjs from Wpengine, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected faustjs versions: < 1.8.11. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.32% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of faustjs you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
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
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- 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:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (github.com).
Official description
Faust.js is a headless WordPress toolkit. Prior to 1.8.11, the FaustWP WordPress plugin authenticates only the ciphertext in its token envelope and excludes the 16-byte initialization vector from the HMAC in WPE\FaustWP\Auth\encrypt() and WPE\FaustWP\Auth\decrypt() in plugins/faustwp/includes/auth/functions.php. A logged-in non-administrator who obtains an authorization code from GET /generate can modify the unauthenticated initialization vector so that CBC decryption changes the token type and user identifier while the HMAC remains valid. This can produce an access token for an Administrator and permit full WordPress REST API access, administrator-account creation, plugin installation, and arbitrary code execution. This issue is fixed in repository version 1.8.11.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity
The product does not sufficiently verify the origin or authenticity of data, in a way that causes it to accept invalid data.
More Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity vulnerabilities (CWE-345)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Recent Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity vulnerabilities
- 7.1 High severity
- 8.3 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
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