CVE-2026-75927

What it is

The PublishPress Capabilities – User Role Editor, Access Permissions, User Capabilities, Admin Menus plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 2.50.0. This is due to the `addPluginCapabilities()` function unconditionally granting the Editor role all 15 `manage_capabilities_*` capabilities — including `manage_capabilities`, `manage_capabilities_roles`, `manage_capabilities_settings`, and `manage_capabilities_backup` — via a hard-coded `$eligible_roles = ['administrator', 'editor']` assignment that runs automatically on the first `admin_init` after plugin activation with no administrator opt-in, persisting the grants directly to the database. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with Editor-level access to elevate their privileges to a site-wide capability manager, enabling them to create, rename, and delete non-system roles, modify capabilities of non-administrator roles, restore role backups, and write arbitrary plugin options whose names begin with `cme_`, `capsman`, `pp_capabilities`, or `presspermit` via `update_option()`. The escalation stops short of full Administrator access, as WordPress's `map_meta_cap` layer still prevents the escalated Editor from granting administrator-only capabilities to other roles; however, all role-management and plugin-settings functionality gated solely on `manage_capabilities_*` capabilities remains fully accessible.

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited over the network with an admin-level account. High risk of data exposure, data tampering, service disruption.

Exploit odds

0.6% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

No patch or advisory is linked yet. Look at mitigations or restrict exposure.

Timeline

1. 2026-08-18 15:39 UTC ReservedThe CVE id was reserved by its CNA
2. 2026-09-09 08:17 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
3. 2026-09-11 21:17 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 0.6% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: 7.2 HIGH (CVSS).
• Fix: none linked yet, which raises it.

Details

Published

2026-09-09 08:17 UTC

Last modified

2026-09-11 21:17 UTC

Exploit probability

0.6% · EPSS, next 30 days

Weakness

CWE-269 · Improper privilege management

Record status

Deferred

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 7.2

Attack vector

Network

Complexity

Low

Privileges needed

High

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

Is it in your code?

Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.

Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2026-75927.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2026-75927. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.

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