The Activity Log for WordPress plugin by switcorp, widely used to track user and system activities within WordPress environments, contains a critical authorization flaw identified as CVE-2026-1671. This vulnerability stems from the absence of a proper capability check in the winter_activity_log_action() function, which is responsible for handling requests related to activity logs. As a result, any authenticated user with Subscriber-level privileges or higher can invoke this function to access sensitive information stored in the activity logs. Notably, these logs may contain highly sensitive data such as administrator passwords, which should never be exposed to lower-privileged users. The vulnerability affects all plugin versions up to and including 1.2.8, with no patch currently available. Exploitation requires only authenticated access, no user interaction, and can be performed remotely over the network. The CVSS v3.1 score of 6.5 reflects the vulnerability's medium severity, primarily due to its high impact on confidentiality but no impact on integrity or availability. Although no known exploits have been reported in the wild, the potential for privilege escalation and unauthorized data disclosure makes this a significant threat to WordPress sites using this plugin. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization), highlighting the failure to enforce proper access controls within the plugin's codebase.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk to the confidentiality of sensitive data managed within WordPress environments. Organizations relying on the Activity Log for WordPress plugin may inadvertently expose administrator credentials and other sensitive information to lower-privileged users, increasing the risk of internal data breaches and privilege escalation attacks. This can lead to unauthorized access to critical systems, data theft, and potential compliance violations under regulations such as GDPR, which mandates strict protection of personal and sensitive data. The exposure of administrator passwords can facilitate further compromise of the WordPress site, enabling attackers to deploy malware, deface websites, or pivot to other internal systems. Given the widespread use of WordPress across European businesses, government agencies, and non-profits, the vulnerability could have broad implications if exploited. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk, but the ease of exploitation by any authenticated user underscores the urgency for mitigation.

1. Immediate mitigation should focus on restricting Subscriber-level access to trusted users only, minimizing the number of accounts that could exploit this vulnerability. 2. Monitor and audit user roles and permissions regularly to ensure no unauthorized privilege escalation occurs. 3. Limit access to activity log files by enforcing strict file system permissions and isolating log storage from general user access. 4. Implement network-level access controls to restrict access to WordPress administration interfaces to trusted IP ranges where feasible. 5. Stay alert for official patches or updates from switcorp and apply them promptly once available. 6. As a temporary workaround, consider disabling or uninstalling the Activity Log for WordPress plugin if the risk outweighs its benefits. 7. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting the winter_activity_log_action() function. 8. Educate administrators and users about the risks of privilege misuse and enforce strong password policies to reduce the impact of credential exposure.