# CVE-2023-36516: WordPress LearnPress plugin <= 4.2.3 - Authenticated Broken Access Control vulnerability

> Authenticated attackers can bypass authorization checks in the LearnPress plugin to perform unauthorized actions or modify data.

- **Severity:** High 7.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 19 Jun 2024
- **Updated:** 28 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-7394-wmv3-xv8j

## What is CVE-2023-36516?

CVE-2023-36516 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in ThimPress LearnPress, published on 19 Jun 2024. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Missing Authorization vulnerability in ThimPress LearnPress.This issue affects LearnPress: from n/a through 4.2.3.

Weakness: CWE-862 (Missing Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-36516?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Thimpress Learnpress.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-36516?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-36516 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-36516 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-36516 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in ThimPress LearnPress

- [CVE-2024-8522](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-8522/): LearnPress – WordPress LMS Plugin <= 4.2.7 - Unauthenticated SQL Injection via 'c_only_fields' (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2024-8529](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-8529/): LearnPress – WordPress LMS Plugin <= 4.2.7 - Unauthenticated SQL Injection via 'c_fields' (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2022-45808](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-45808/): WordPress LearnPress Plugin <= 4.1.7.3.2 is vulnerable to SQL Injection (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2024-4434](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-4434/): LearnPress – WordPress LMS Plugin <= 4.2.6.5 - Unauthenticated Time-Based SQL Injection (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-6567](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-6567/): LearnPress <= 4.2.5.7 - Unauthenticated SQL Injection via order_by (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-36516 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-36516 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in ThimPress LearnPress, published on 19 Jun 2024. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-36516 exists.

Affected product: ThimPress LearnPress. 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-2023-36516/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-36516/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-36516
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-36516
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-36516

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-36516/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.