CVE-2024-9215: Co-Authors, Multiple Authors and Guest Authors in an Author Box with PublishPress Authors (WordPress plugin) · Insecure Direct Object Reference
Affects Co-Authors, Multiple Authors and Guest Authors in an Author Box with PublishPress Authors (WordPress plugin)Source CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 8.8 High.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 07:57 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.5% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 43% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 17 Oct 2024
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 2026-10-26.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| publishpress Co-Authors, Multiple Authors and Guest Authors in an Author Box with PublishPress Authors | Affected
| Fixed in– |
AI-suggested
Until an official fix is released, restrict Author-level user permissions where possible and monitor for suspicious account changes. Avoid granting Author-level access to untrusted users. Follow updates from PublishPress for a security patch addressing this vulnerability.
Description
The Co-Authors, Multiple Authors and Guest Authors in an Author Box with PublishPress Authors plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Insecure Direct Object Reference to Privilege Escalation/Account Takeover in all versions up to, and including, 4.7.1 via the action_edited_author() due to missing validation on the 'authors-user_id' user controlled key. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Author-level access and above, to update arbitrary user accounts email addresses, including administrators, which can then be leveraged to reset that user's account password and gain access.
References
- wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/d0506137-82e3-4988-9b23-370465a866c0?source=cve (opens in a new tab)
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/publishpress-authors/tags/4.7.1/src/core/Classes/Author_Editor.php (opens in a new tab)
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?sfp_email=&sfph_mail=&reponame=&old=3169244%40publishpress-authors&new=3169244%40publishpress-authors&sfp_email=&sfph_mail= (opens in a new tab)