CVE-2026-78175

What it is

The Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to PHP Object Injection in all versions up to, and including, 4.0.7 via the `withdraw_method_field` parameter of the `tutor_save_withdraw_account` AJAX handler. This is due to the handler lacking any capability or role check, relying solely on a nonce, while also passing attacker-supplied values through `esc_sql()`, which replaces every `%` character with a 66-byte HMAC placeholder token before the data is serialized and stored via `update_user_meta()`; when the meta is later retrieved, the placeholder is collapsed back to a single `%`, leaving serialized string length declarations 65 bytes greater than the actual content, and because array keys originate from entirely unescaped POST field names, `unserialize()` over-reads into attacker-controlled bytes, allowing injection of an arbitrary serialized object stream. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level access and above, to achieve remote code execution on the server by triggering the `GuzzleHttp\Cookie\FileCookieJar` POP chain, reachable via the `spl_autoload_register` loader in `TUTOR\RestAPI` which loads the plugin's own bundled PayPal Composer autoloader, writing attacker-controlled content to an attacker-specified filename. This has an unauthenticated pathway when user registration is enabled, which is common for students and teachers to register, and it requires the monetization feature to be enabled.

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited over the network with a low-privilege account. High risk of data exposure, data tampering, service disruption.

Exploit odds

1.1% 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. 2026-08-23 15:39 UTC ReservedThe CVE id was reserved by its CNA
2. 2026-09-12 08:16 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
3. 2026-09-15 15:17 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 1.1% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: 8.8 HIGH (CVSS).
• Fix: none linked yet, which raises it.

Details

Published

2026-09-12 08:16 UTC

Last modified

2026-09-15 15:17 UTC

Exploit probability

1.1% · EPSS, next 30 days

Weakness

CWE-502 · Unsafe deserialization

Record status

Deferred

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 8.8

Attack vector

Network

Complexity

Low

Privileges needed

Low

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-2026-78175.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2026-78175. 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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