Missing authorization in themeum Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · Low · None
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-862.
Summary
The Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized course content manipulation in versions up to and including 3.9.8. This is due to a missing authorization check in the tutor_update_course_content_order() function. The function only validates the nonce (CSRF protection) but does not verify whether the user has permission to manage course content. The can_user_manage() authorization check only executes when the 'content_parent' parameter is present in the request. When this parameter is omitted, the function proceeds directly to save_course_content_order() which manipulates the wp_posts table without any authorization validation. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with subscriber-level access and above to detach all lessons from any topic, move lessons between topics, and modify the menu_order of course content, effectively allowing them to disrupt the structure of any course on the site.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-5502
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-wcw2-cv2c-x8cm
References
Other 6
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/f32ae42d-dd1f-41d7-8ae4-ddec56d78ae6?source=cve
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tutor/tags/3.9.7/classes/Course.php#L1700
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tutor/trunk/classes/Course.php#L1789
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tutor/tags/3.9.7/classes/Course.php#L1789
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tutor/trunk/classes/Course.php#L1700
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3505142/tutor/tags/3.9.9/classes/Course.php
More themeum vulnerabilities
- TI-2024-09629 Tutor LMS <= 2.7.6 - Unauthenticated SQL Injection via rating_filter CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2023-02936 Tutor LMS < 2.2.1 - Unauthenticated Access to Tutor LMS Lesson Resources via REST API CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2021-07196 Qubely < 1.8.6 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary E-mail Sending CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2023-05666 WP Crowdfunding < 2.1.9 - Reflected XSS CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.1
- TI-2023-00225 Tutor LMS < 2.0.10 - Reflected Cross-Site Scripting CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.1
- TI-2023-04422 Tutor LMS < 2.3.0 - Subscriber+ Stored Cross-Site Scripting CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.4
Sources
- CVE-2026-5502 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-5502 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-wcw2-cv2c-x8cm · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences