TI-2026-03484 Aliases CVE-2026-4021 GHSA-m4rm-grq4-j8wp

Improper authentication in Wasiliy Strecker / ContestGallery developer Contest Gallery…

LOW 38CWE-287Published 2026-03-23 · Updated 2026-04-08

Key facts

Attack vector: Network
Privileges required: None
User interaction: None
Attack complexity: High
Impact type: Security bypass
Confidentiality · integrity · availability: High · High · High
Fix status: No fix listed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-287.

Summary

The Contest Gallery plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to an authentication bypass leading to admin account takeover in all versions up to, and including, 28.1.5. This is due to the email confirmation handler in `users-registry-check-after-email-or-pin-confirmation.php` using the user's email string in a `WHERE ID = %s` clause instead of the numeric user ID, combined with an unauthenticated key-based login endpoint in `ajax-functions-frontend.php`. When the non-default `RegMailOptional=1` setting is enabled, an attacker can register with a crafted email starting with the target user ID (e.g., `[email protected]`), trigger the confirmation flow to overwrite the admin's `user_activation_key` via MySQL integer coercion, and then use the `post_cg1l_login_user_by_key` AJAX action to authenticate as the admin without any credentials. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to take over any WordPress administrator account and gain full site control.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV

EPSS 0.00453 39th percentileScored 2026-11-07

Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation: None
Automatable: No
Technical impact: Total

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

Vendor	Product	Affected versions	Fixed in	Status	Source
Wasiliy Strecker / ContestGallery developer	Contest Gallery – Upload & Vote Photos, Media, Sell with PayPal & Stripe	up to 28.1.5	—	No fix listed	CNA

Contest Gallery – Upload & Vote Photos, Media, Sell with PayPal & Stripe VendorWasiliy Strecker / ContestGallery developer Affected up to 28.1.5 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

CPE names Threatist (inferred) · 1

Inferred from how NVD named this product before; not given by a source.

CPE	Versions	Role	Vendor
cpe:2.3:a:contest-gallery:contest_gallery::::::::	—	—	Wasiliy Strecker / ContestGallery developer

cpe:2.3:a:contest-gallery:contest_gallery:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions — — ·Wasiliy Strecker / ContestGallery developer

Remediation

No fixed version listed by the sources yet.

Timeline

2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-4021
2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-m4rm-grq4-j8wp
2026-10-25 EPSS moved to the below the 50th percentile

References

Other 6

TI-2022-03804 Contest Gallery < 19.1.5 - Unauthenticated SQL Injection CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
TI-2022-03802 Contest Gallery < 19.1.5.1 - Unauthenticated SQL Injection CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
TI-2024-26556 WordPress Contest Gallery plugin <= 23.1.2 - Cross Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.1
TI-2022-03797 Contest Gallery < 19.1.5 - Admin+ SQL Injection CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
TI-2022-03812 Contest Gallery < 19.1.5 - Author+ SQL Injection CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
TI-2022-03811 Contest Gallery < 19.1.5 - Author+ SQL Injection CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5

See all 54 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences