External risk intelligence

wpForo Forum Unauthenticated Broken Authentication Vulnerability

CVE advisorySeverity: CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8)

CVE-2026-49767

A critical authentication vulnerability exists in the wpForo Forum plugin, allowing unauthenticated access to forum data and functions. This could lead to unauthorized control and compromise of user information. Assess plugin usage and network exposure.

Halo Surface Signal

Very likely · external exposure

5Halo Surface Signal

The vulnerability affects a forum plugin for WordPress, a content management system designed specifically for public-facing web applications. By nature, forum software is intended to be accessed by internet users, making the affected interface a public-facing web endpoint in standard deployments.

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

This vulnerability impacts a forum plugin used with WordPress, affecting authentication processes. Its high severity means unauthorized individuals could potentially gain broad access and control over the forum's data and functions. The primary concern is to confirm if this plugin is in use and assess the exposure.

  • Unauthenticated access to forum data and functions.
  • Critical flaw could compromise user information.
  • Assess plugin usage for potential exposure.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by targeting the wpForo Forum plugin, as it is exposed to the network and does not require authentication. By interacting with the plugin, an attacker could potentially gain administrative access or disrupt the forum's operations.

  • No authentication required to access.
  • Interaction with the forum plugin.
  • Potential for administrative control.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

This vulnerability in wpForo Forum could allow an unauthenticated attacker to bypass authentication controls, potentially leading to unauthorized access and modification of forum content and user data. This exposure is possible when the plugin is deployed and accessible via a network.

  • Forum content and user data.
  • Unauthenticated network access.
  • Unauthorized content modification.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

This critical vulnerability in wpForo Forum impacts unauthenticated broken authentication. Identifying and confirming the reachability and business criticality of affected instances is the first practical step. Owners of the WordPress application or the underlying infrastructure platform are likely responsible for initial assessment and remediation planning. Coordination with any vendor management teams may also be necessary.

  • Application or platform teams own remediation.
  • Verify external reachability and business impact.
  • Plan maintenance for controlled updates.

Supplementary metadata

PCI scan relevance

Yes

CVE-2026-49767 — Halo PCI Relevance: Yes. Under typical PCI ASV external scan criteria, this issue may be flagged for scan prioritization.

This vulnerability allows unauthenticated users to bypass authentication, potentially leading to a PCI ASV scan failure due to the severe security implications.

Scan-prioritization guidance only—not a PCI DSS certification or ASV attestation.

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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Frequently asked questions

What is the wpForo Forum plugin?

wpForo Forum is an add-on for WordPress that transforms a standard website into a structured community discussion board. Users rely on it to manage user profiles, categorize forum topics, and facilitate public or private communication. Because it integrates directly into the WordPress core environment, it handles sensitive authentication tasks to ensure users can log in and manage their own community interactions.

What does CWE-288 mean for CVE-2026-49767?

CWE-288 represents an Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel. In the context of this CVE, it means the software contains a flaw that allows someone to log in or gain authorized status without providing valid credentials. Instead of using the intended login screen, an attacker can leverage this weakness to interact with the forum as if they were a legitimate, authenticated user.

How can an attacker trigger this vulnerability?

An attacker triggers this bug by sending specific network requests to the forum plugin. Because the vulnerability involves broken authentication, the system fails to verify the requester's identity before processing commands. Simply browsing the site normally or viewing public posts does not trigger the flaw; the attack requires interacting with specific, sensitive endpoints that the plugin should have protected from unauthenticated access.

Why is this CVE considered highly relevant?

Halo Surface Signal indicates this vulnerability is highly relevant because wpForo is a forum plugin. Forums are designed to be reached by internet users, meaning the affected code is almost always hosted on a public-facing web endpoint. Since the plugin is meant to be accessible to the public, the attack surface is wide, as anyone with a web browser could potentially reach the vulnerable code without needing special network positioning.

What steps should I take if I use wpForo?

Start by identifying every WordPress instance in your environment that has the wpForo plugin installed. Verify if these instances are accessible from the internet and evaluate what sensitive data or administrative functions they control. Work with your application or platform teams to confirm your version status, coordinate internal maintenance, and plan for updates once a resolution is provided by the plugin developers.

References

Sources and related resources

Primary sources: NVD, CVE.org.

NVDPublished