Plugin Name	Orderable
Type of Vulnerability	Access Control Vulnerability
CVE Number	CVE-2026-0974
Urgency	High
CVE Publish Date	2026-02-19
Source URL	CVE-2026-0974

Broken Access Control in Orderable <= 1.20.0 (CVE-2026-0974) — What WordPress Site Owners Must Do Now

Author: WP-Firewall Security Team
Date: 2026-02-19

Summary
A high-severity broken access control vulnerability (CVE-2026-0974, CVSS 8.8) affects versions of the Orderable plugin up to and including 1.20.0. An authenticated user with Subscriber-level privileges can trigger plugin installation functionality due to missing authorization checks. This can let an attacker install arbitrary plugins (including backdoors or privilege escalation tools), making this vulnerability urgent for site owners running the affected plugin.

Table of contents

• Overview
• Why this vulnerability is dangerous
• Technical summary (what went wrong)
• Exploitation scenarios and real-world impact
• How to detect if your site has been exploited
• Immediate mitigation steps (what to do right now)
• Hardening and long-term remediation
• WAF / virtual patching guidance
• Operational security and monitoring
• Frequently asked questions
• Protect Your Site — WP‑Firewall Free Plan
• Closing notes from WP‑Firewall

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Overview

On 19 February 2026 a broken access control issue was published for the WordPress plugin Orderable (<= 1.20.0). The flaw allows an authenticated user with only Subscriber privileges to perform actions reserved for higher-privileged users — specifically, arbitrary plugin installation. Because plugin installation can be used to place persistent backdoors, create administrator accounts, or deploy malware, the security implications are severe.

If you run Orderable on any WordPress site, treat this as an emergency. Whether you operate an agency-managed site, a multisite environment, or a single-site storefront, the steps in this post will help you understand the risk and take immediate action to protect your site and clients.

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Why this vulnerability is dangerous

Broken access control vulnerabilities are among the most impactful weaknesses in web applications. A plugin or theme that fails to verify authorization properly can allow:

• Privilege escalation: an attacker can gain administrator-level capabilities indirectly by installing tools that create admin accounts or change roles.
• Persistent footholds: a malicious plugin can maintain access even after the initial user account is removed.
• Data theft and site takeover: installed plugins can exfiltrate data, change content, or redirect traffic.
• Chained attacks: once a plugin is installed, further vulnerabilities within that plugin or the site can be exploited.

In this case the attack requires an account with Subscriber privileges, which is a very low bar — many sites permit public signup, customer accounts, or use Subscriber roles for customers. Any site that allows user registrations or uses Subscriber accounts to manage customers is at risk.

The reported CVSS score is 8.8 (High), reflecting network attack vector, low required privileges, no user interaction, and high impact to confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

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Technical summary (what went wrong)

At a high level, the plugin exposes functionality that reaches privileged WordPress operations (plugin installation) without enforcing the correct capability checks and/or nonce verification. The typical secure pattern for any action that changes site code is:

1. Verify the request originates from a user with an appropriate capability (e.g., install_plugins or manage_options).
2. Verify the request includes a valid nonce or another anti-CSRF token.
3. Restrict the action to the intended context and sanitize input.

The Orderable vulnerability fails one or more of those checks. The result: an authenticated user whose role is Subscriber can trigger the plugin install path (either via a direct admin endpoint, an AJAX handler, or a REST endpoint) and cause the plugin ZIP to be downloaded/installed. Because the core WordPress plugin install mechanism writes code to disk and registers plugin entries, this is equivalent to an unauthorized code push.

Responsible disclosure timelines and whether an official vendor patch is available may vary — at the time of writing there was no vendor-supplied update patched across all affected versions. That makes immediate mitigation essential.

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Exploitation scenarios and real-world impact

Below are realistic scenarios an attacker could leverage, and the likely post-exploitation actions:

1. Public registrations exploited to plant backdoors
   – If your site allows users to register, an attacker can create a Subscriber account and execute the plugin install flow. The installed plugin can include web shells or scheduled tasks that grant persistent access.
2. Compromised or reused credentials
   – Attackers who obtain legitimate subscriber credentials (credential stuffing, phishing, leaked credentials) can use them to install plugins and escalate privileges.
3. Social engineering / content contributors
   – On sites that use Subscriber-like roles for guest authors or contributors, a malicious user could leverage the role to install a plugin that modifies content, injects adverts, or rewrites links.
4. Marketplace and multisite impact
   – For WordPress Multisite environments where Subscriber-level accounts exist at the network or site level, the blast radius can include many subsites, compounding damage.

Common post-exploit actions by attackers:

• Install an admin account (via code or DB manipulation).
• Install a malicious plugin that exfiltrates user data, captures credentials, or injects spam/SEO spam.
• Create persistent scheduled tasks (wp_cron) to reintroduce malware if removed.
• Disable security plugins or logging to evade detection.

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How to detect if your site has been exploited

You should assume exploitation is possible if your site has users with Subscriber privileges and Orderable <= 1.20.0 installed. Detection requires looking for signs of unexpected plugin installation or modifications.

Checklist for detection:

• Check the plugin directory for new or recently modified folders:
  • Inspect wp-content/plugins for directories with recent timestamps or unfamiliar names.
  • Compare file hashes against known-good backups.
• Review plugin list in WP admin or via WP-CLI:
  • wp plugin list — look for recently installed/enabled plugins.
• Look for modified core or theme files:
  • Search for suspicious strings, obfuscated code, base64_decode(), eval(), gzinflate(), or unusual PHP create_function() calls.
• Audit wp_users and wp_usermeta:
  • Look for creation of new administrator users or elevation of existing users.
• Review active cron jobs:
  • wp cron event list or check for scheduled tasks that run unknown callbacks.
• Server logs:
  • Web server logs may show POSTs to plugin install endpoints (plugin-install.php, update.php) coming from subscriber accounts.
• Database changes:
  • Look for new options, entries in wp_options used by plugin code that weren’t there previously.
• Malware scanner:
  • Use a trusted malware scanner to identify unknown files or code patterns.

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If you confirm malicious activity:

• Immediately take the site offline or put it into maintenance mode.
• Snapshot the site and logs for forensic analysis.
• Change all privileged passwords (and force password resets for users).
• Restore from a clean backup if available and verified.
• Engage a security professional if you need help with cleanup.

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Immediate mitigation steps (what to do right now)

If you cannot immediately patch the plugin because an official update isn’t available, apply the mitigations below. These steps prioritize containment and preventing plugin installation by unauthorized users.

1. Remove ability to install plugins for all roles except trusted admins

Add the following to a MU (must-use) plugin or a site-specific plugin to ensure only administrators can install plugins:

<?php
// mu-plugin / wp-content/mu-plugins/disable-plugin-install-for-non-admins.php
add_action( 'init', function() {
    if ( is_admin() && ! current_user_can( 'administrator' ) ) {
        // Remove capability checks for plugin install pages by redirecting
        $screen = get_current_screen();
        if ( $screen && in_array( $screen->base, array( 'plugin-install', 'plugins', 'update' ) ) ) {
            wp_die( 'Access denied.' );
        }
    }
}, 1 );

Note: get_current_screen() is only available in admin context; if you use other hooks, adapt accordingly. Alternatively remove the install_plugins capability from roles that should never have it:

<?php
// Remove install_plugins capability from subscribers (defensive)
add_action( 'init', function() {
    $role = get_role( 'subscriber' );
    if ( $role && $role->has_cap( 'install_plugins' ) ) {
        $role->remove_cap( 'install_plugins' );
    }
}, 20 );

2. Block plugin installation endpoints via webserver rules

• For Apache (.htaccess), restrict access to plugin-install.php, update-core.php, or plugin-editor.php to admin IPs or authenticated users only.
• For Nginx, return 403 for POSTs to plugin install endpoints originating from non-admin sessions or by IP filtering.

Example Nginx snippet (conceptual):

location ~* /wp-admin/plugin-install.php {
    allow 203.0.113.0/24;   # your admin IP or admin proxies
    deny all;
}

3. Disable file modifications through WordPress constants

In wp-config.php set:

define( 'DISALLOW_FILE_MODS', true );

This prevents plugin and theme installation and updates via the admin interface. Important: this also disables automatic updates and plugin/theme updates until unset — plan accordingly.

4. Harden file system permissions

• Ensure the webserver user cannot arbitrarily write to wp-content/plugins unless through a controlled admin operation.
• Set ownership and permissions so only administrators (via SFTP/SSH) and controlled processes can write plugin files.

5. Restrict or disable user registrations temporarily

If your site permits user signup and you don’t need public registration immediately, disable it until the issue is mitigated.

6. Monitor for plugin installs and new admin accounts

• Implement file integrity monitoring and alerting for wp-content/plugins changes.
• Monitor user creation events and role changes.

7. Put the site into maintenance mode if you see active exploitation

This prevents further damage while you investigate.

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Hardening and long-term remediation

Once you’ve mitigated immediate risk, plan permanent fixes to reduce future blast radius.

1. Update the plugin when an official patch is available
   When vendor patches are released, test them in staging and apply to production.
2. Principle of least privilege for roles
   Evaluate whether users truly need the Subscriber role or should have more constrained capabilities. Use capability management plugins only from trusted sources, and maintain an inventory of which roles can do what.
3. Implement two-factor authentication (2FA) for privileged accounts
   While this vulnerability targets low-privilege accounts, 2FA helps protect admin accounts used for remediation.
4. Remove unnecessary plugins and themes
   Fewer components means less attack surface.
5. Harden REST API and admin endpoints
   Restrict access to sensitive endpoints and ensure proper capability checks and nonces are present in custom code.
6. Use strong password and session policies
   Enforce strong passwords, limit concurrent sessions, and implement account lockout for repeated failed attempts.
7. Periodic security audits
   Regularly run code audits and plugin reviews to catch insecure patterns (missing capability checks, unchecked AJAX/REST handlers).
8. Backup and recovery plan
   Verify you have clean, tested backups that can be restored quickly. Maintain offsite backups and periodically test restoration procedures.
9. Maintain an allowlist for plugin installations (if applicable)
   In corporate or agency settings, restrict plugin installation to an allowlist of approved plugins that are centrally managed.

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WAF / virtual patching guidance (how a firewall like WP‑Firewall helps)

If an official patch is not yet available or you need fast protection for many sites, virtual patching via a web application firewall (WAF) is an excellent stop-gap measure. Virtual patching is the process of intercepting and blocking attack requests before they reach the vulnerable code.

Recommended WAF actions for this vulnerability:

• Block POST/GET requests to endpoints known to be used for plugin installation unless they originate from users with admin IPs or known admin sessions.
• Enforce anti-automation rules: rate-limit actions that attempt plugin uploads or repeated plugin install requests from a single account.
• Detect anomalous privilege usage: flag or block requests where a Subscriber-level session attempts privileged admin operations (e.g., plugin-install.php actions).
• Block known exploit patterns and payloads (file upload attempts, zip extraction actions against plugins, suspicious query strings).
• Apply virtual patch rules globally across your fleet so you protect all sites while waiting for vendor patches.
• Allow logging and forensic capture so alerts include the request payloads for investigation.

At WP‑Firewall we operate managed virtual patching tailored to WordPress CMS semantics: blocking specific admin endpoints from low-privilege sessions, sanitizing known exploit patterns, and applying rules with minimal false positives. If you run a fleet of sites (agency or host), this is often the fastest way to reduce risk everywhere at once.

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Operational security and monitoring

Responding to this threat requires both technical mitigation and operational vigilance.

Logging and monitoring

• Enable verbose logging on your application and webserver stack.
• Feed logs to a central SIEM or log aggregator with alerts for:
  • New plugin directories created.
  • POST requests to plugin install/update endpoints.
  • User role changes or new admin user creation.
• Configure alerts for file integrity changes; get notified by email/SMS/Slack.

Incident response

• Prepare an incident response runbook that includes:
  • Contact list (sysadmin, developer, hosting provider).
  • Steps for isolating an infected site.
  • Snapshot and evidence collection instructions.
  • Recovery and validation procedures.

Communication

Notify stakeholders promptly — clients, site editors, or users — if sensitive data may have been accessed. Maintain a record of actions taken.

Forensic checklist for a suspected breach

• Preserve logs (webserver, WP, database).
• Take a filesystem snapshot.
• Identify all newly added plugins and their files.
• Check for backdoors in themes, mu-plugins, or wp-config.php.
• Identify and remove persistence mechanisms (malicious scheduled tasks, modified wp-content/mu-plugins).
• Rotate all relevant secrets (API keys, SSH keys) if you suspect exfiltration.

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Frequently asked questions

Q: Do I need to disable user registration?
A: Not always. If your business depends on public registrations, apply compensating controls: extra review for new accounts, stricter default roles, and WAF coverage. If registration is not needed, disable it until you can patch and monitor.

Q: Will removing the Orderable plugin remove the risk?
A: Removing the vulnerable plugin will prevent further exploitation through that code path, but it does nothing to remove backdoors or malicious plugins installed earlier. If you previously had a breach, perform a full clean and restore from a verified backup.

Q: Is DISALLOW_FILE_MODS safe to use?
A: Yes, as a temporary mitigation. It prevents plugin installations and updates via the admin interface, which reduces risk. Remember to coordinate updates manually when needed, and test before deploying in production.

Q: Should I patch immediately when a vendor releases an update?
A: Yes — once a vendor publishes a tested patch, prioritize updating in a staged manner (staging -> production). Verify on staging first to prevent breaking workflows.

Q: Can a WAF fully protect me so I don’t have to patch?
A: Virtual patching is a strong mitigation, but it is not a permanent substitute for applying vendor patches. WAFs can have rule bypasses or new exploit variations. Always patch when a proper fix is available.

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Protect Your Site — WP‑Firewall Free Plan

We created a free plan specifically to help site owners quickly protect against vulnerabilities like this one. If you want immediate, automatic protection across the attack vectors described above, consider starting with our Basic (Free) protection. It includes:

• Managed firewall (WAF) tailored for WordPress
• Unlimited bandwidth (WAF traffic)
• Core WAF signatures and rule updates
• Malware scanner to detect suspicious files
• Mitigation for OWASP Top 10 risks

Sign up for the WP‑Firewall Basic (Free) plan and get baseline protection fast: https://my.wp-firewall.com/buy/wp-firewall-free-plan/

If you are managing client sites or need more features, our paid tiers add automatic malware removal, IP allow/deny lists, monthly security reporting, auto virtual patching, and managed security services.

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Practical checklists you can follow in the next 90 minutes

If you have a short window, here is a practical prioritized checklist to reduce risk rapidly:

First 10 minutes

• Identify if Orderable <= 1.20.0 is installed: wp plugin list or check in admin.
• Disable new user registrations (Settings → General).
• Put site in maintenance mode if you suspect exploitation.

Next 30 minutes

• Add DISALLOW_FILE_MODS in wp-config.php.
• Deploy a quick MU plugin or snippet to block non-admin access to plugin-install pages.
• Force password reset for all admin-level accounts.

Next 90 minutes

• Check wp-content/plugins for recent or unknown directories.
• Run a malware scan and capture logs.
• Apply webserver rules to restrict plugin-install.php access to admin IPs.

Within 24 hours

• Deploy WAF virtual patches across all sites you manage.
• Backup the site (full snapshot) for forensic purposes.
• Prepare staged plugin updates and test before applying.

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Closing notes from WP‑Firewall

Broken access control vulnerabilities like CVE-2026-0974 are reminders that even low-privilege accounts can be powerful attack vectors when code exposes privileged operations without proper checks. The immediate actions above — removing or restricting plugin installation capabilities, enabling virtual patching, and monitoring for indicators of compromise — will markedly reduce risk.

If you manage multiple sites or provide hosting or agency services, prioritize fleet-wide protections (virtual patching, strict role policies, and centralized monitoring). For single-site owners, apply the quick mitigations and ensure you have a tested backup and recovery process.

If you need help with emergency mitigation, cleanup, or ongoing protection, WP‑Firewall provides managed rules, virtual patching, scanning, and incident response services built for WordPress. Start with the Basic (Free) plan to get immediate WAF coverage and scanning, then scale up when you’re ready for automatic removal, reporting, and managed assistance: https://my.wp-firewall.com/buy/wp-firewall-free-plan/

Stay safe and treat this issue as high priority — check any installations of Orderable now, apply mitigations, and monitor closely.

— The WP‑Firewall Security Team