# CVE-2019-9879: Privilege escalation in n/a

> Attackers can register new users with admin privileges via the registerUser mutation if user registration is enabled.

- **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:** 10 Jun 2019
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-723x-w2r7-8wg2

## What is CVE-2019-9879?

CVE-2019-9879 is a critical vulnerability in n/a, published on 10 Jun 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The WPGraphQL 0.2.3 plugin for WordPress allows remote attackers to register a new user with admin privileges, whenever new user registrations are allowed. This is related to the registerUser mutation.

Weakness: CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-9879?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Wpengine Wpgraphql.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-9879?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-9879 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-9879 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2019-9879 exists.

Public exploit code:

- WordPress Plugin WPGraphQL 0.2.3 - Multiple Vulnerabilities (exploitdb)
- WPGraphQL 0.2.3 - User Creation (nuclei): http/cves/2019/CVE-2019-9879.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2019-9880](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-9880/): Information disclosure in n/a (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2022-1563](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-1563/): WPGraphQL WooCommerce <= 0.11.0 - Unauthenticated Coupon Codes Disclosure (medium 5.3)
- [CVE-2019-9881](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-9881/): Missing authorization in n/a (medium 5.3)
- [CVE-2023-23684](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-23684/): WordPress WPGraphQL Plugin <= 1.14.5 is vulnerable to Server Side Request Forgery (SSRF) (medium 4.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-9879 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-9879 is a critical vulnerability in n/a, published on 10 Jun 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2019-9879 exists.

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-2019-9879/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-9879/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-9879
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-9879
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-9879

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-9879/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.