# CVE-2017-16562: Auth bypass in n/a

> Remote attackers can bypass authentication and gain administrative access in UserPro plugin if the site uses the default 'admin' username.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 9 Nov 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xpmm-8f6x-vcw6

## What is CVE-2017-16562?

CVE-2017-16562 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in n/a, published on 9 Nov 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The UserPro plugin before 4.9.17.1 for WordPress, when used on a site with the "admin" username, allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and obtain administrative access via a "true" value for the up_auto_log parameter in the QUERY_STRING to the default URI.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-16562?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Userproplugin Userpro.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-16562?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-16562 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-16562 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-16562 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- WordPress Plugin Userpro < 4.9.17.1 - Authentication Bypass (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2024-35700](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-35700/): WordPress UserPro plugin <= 5.1.8 - Unauthenticated Account Takeover vulnerability (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-2437](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2437/): UserPro <= 5.1.1 - Authentication Bypass to Administrator (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-2449](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2449/): UserPro <= 5.1.1 - Insecure Password Reset Mechanism (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-2440](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2440/): UserPro <= 5.1.1 - Cross-Site Request Forgery to Privilege Escalation (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-2497](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2497/): UserPro <= 5.1.0 - Cross-Site Request Forgery to PHP Object Injection (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-16562 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-16562 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in n/a, published on 9 Nov 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-16562 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-16562/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-16562/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-16562
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-16562
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-16562

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-16562/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.