WP Password Policy <= 3.7.1 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) Privilege Escalation
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Privilege escalation
- 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-269.
Summary
The WP Password Policy plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to and including 3.7.1. This is due to missing authorization checks and nonce verification in the `get_user()` function of the `Module_Password_Hint` class, which unconditionally calls `WP_User::set_role()` with the attacker-supplied `role` parameter on any account resolved via `$_POST['user_login']`, without confirming the requesting user holds the capability to assign roles. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level access and above, to escalate their own privileges to Administrator by submitting a crafted POST request — with `action` set to `createuser` and `role` set to `administrator` — to the password-reset form endpoint. The vulnerable code path is reachable via the `password_hint` filter hooked during the WordPress password-reset form render, meaning an attacker need only possess a valid password-reset cookie to reach the sink.
Why it matters now
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| teydeastudio | WP Password Policy | up to 3.7.1 | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- WP Password Policy Vendorteydeastudio Affected up to 3.7.1 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-15992
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-rghc-64r6-9px3
References
Other 3
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/4ad5ca1c-b8c3-42c0-8170-821ada826cbb?source=cve
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/password-requirements/tags/3.7.1/src/modules/password-hint/class-module-password-hint.php#L39
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/password-requirements/tags/3.7.1/src/modules/password-hint/class-module-password-hint.php#L54
Sources
- CVE-2026-15992 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-15992 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-rghc-64r6-9px3 · 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