# CVE-2023-5426: Post Meta Data Manager <=1.2.0 - Missing Authorization to User, Term, and Post Meta Deletion

> Unauthenticated attackers can delete arbitrary user, term, and post meta data due to missing capability checks in the Post Meta Data Manager plugin.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 28 Oct 2023
- **Updated:** 8 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-v2p6-vvrh-9hw7

## What is CVE-2023-5426?

CVE-2023-5426 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in gandhihitesh9 Post Meta Data Manager, published on 28 Oct 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Post Meta Data Manager plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification of data due to a missing capability check on the pmdm_wp_delete_user_meta,  pmdm_wp_delete_term_meta, and pmdm_wp_ajax_delete_meta functions in versions up to, and including, 1.2.0. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to delete user, term, and post meta belonging to arbitrary users.

Weakness: CWE-862 (Missing Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-5426?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Wpexpertplugins Post Meta Data Manager.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-5426?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-5426 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-5426 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-5426 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in gandhihitesh9 Post Meta Data Manager

- [CVE-2023-5425](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5425/): Post Meta Data Manager <=1.2.0 - Missing Authorization to Authenticated (Subscriber+) Privilege Escalation (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2024-13835](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-13835/): Post Meta Data Manager <= 1.4.4 - Authentciated (Admin+) Multisite Privilege Escalation (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2024-6264](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-6264/): Post Meta Data Manager <= 1.2.3 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting (medium 6.4)
- [CVE-2023-5776](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5776/): Post Meta Data Manager <= 1.2.1 - Cross-Site Request Forgery to Post, Term, and User Meta Deletion (medium 4.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-5426 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-5426 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in gandhihitesh9 Post Meta Data Manager, published on 28 Oct 2023. 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-2023-5426 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: gandhihitesh9 Post Meta Data Manager. 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-2023-5426/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5426/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-5426
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-5426
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-5426

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5426/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.