CVE-2026-15826
Description
The User Profile Builder plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Authentication Bypass via Type Confusion in versions up to, and including, 3.16.4. This is due to the wppb_log_in_user() function calling absint() on the return value of wp_insert_user() before performing an is_wp_error() check — when a registration is submitted with a 61–70 character username, WordPress core rejects it with a WP_Error object, but absint() coerces that object to the integer 1 before the error check can short-circuit execution, causing the plugin to bind and return a transient-backed autologin nonce tied to user ID 1. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to log in as the site's Administrator account (user ID 1), resulting in full administrative takeover of the site.
AI Insight
LLM-synthesized narrative grounded in this CVE's description and references.
Affected products
1- Range: <=3.16.4
Patches
Vulnerability mechanics
References
9- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/profile-builder/tags/3.16.4/features/functions.phpnvd
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/profile-builder/tags/3.16.4/front-end/class-formbuilder.phpnvd
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/profile-builder/tags/3.16.4/front-end/class-formbuilder.phpnvd
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/profile-builder/tags/3.16.4/front-end/class-formbuilder.phpnvd
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/profile-builder/tags/3.16.4/front-end/class-formbuilder.phpnvd
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/profile-builder/tags/3.16.4/front-end/default-fields/username/username.phpnvd
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/profile-builder/tags/3.16.4/front-end/default-fields/username/username.phpnvd
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3609855/profile-buildernvd
- www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/9f606fba-f779-42ea-a160-6c3b20dc5e79nvd
News mentions
5- ⚡ Weekly Recap: AI-Powered PLC Attacks, GitLab Attacks, Stripe Key Leaks and MoreThe Hacker News · Aug 24, 2026
- Wordfence Intelligence Weekly WordPress Vulnerability Report (August 10, 2026 to August 16, 2026)Wordfence Blog · Aug 21, 2026
- Forminator WordPress Flaw Can Enable Unauthenticated RCE via Malicious PHP UploadsThe Hacker News · Aug 17, 2026
- WordPress Plugin Flaw Exposes 40,000 Sites to Admin TakeoverInfosecurity Magazine · Aug 17, 2026
- 40,000 WordPress Sites affected by Authentication Bypass Vulnerability in User Profile Builder WordPress PluginWordfence Blog · Aug 14, 2026