# CVE-2025-15521: Auth bypass in Academy LMS – WordPress LMS Plugin for Complete eLearning Solution

> Unauthenticated attackers can take over arbitrary user accounts, including administrators, by bypassing identity validation during password updates.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/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:** 21 Jan 2026
- **Updated:** 8 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-2q9f-33q6-9426

## What is CVE-2025-15521?

CVE-2025-15521 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in kodezen Academy LMS – WordPress LMS Plugin for Complete eLearning Solution, published on 21 Jan 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Academy LMS – WordPress LMS Plugin for Complete eLearning Solution plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to privilege escalation via account takeover in all versions up to, and including, 3.5.0. This is due to the plugin not properly validating a user's identity prior to updating their password and relying solely on a publicly-exposed nonce for authorization. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to change arbitrary user's password, including administrators, and gain access to their account.

Weakness: CWE-639 (Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-15521?


## How do I fix CVE-2025-15521?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-15521 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-15521 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-15521 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- The Academy LMS – WordPress LMS Plugin for Complete eLearning Solution plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to privilege escalation via account takeover in all versions up to, and including, 3.5.0. (github_poc): https://github.com/Nxploited/CVE-2025-15521

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-15521 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-15521 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in kodezen Academy LMS – WordPress LMS Plugin for Complete eLearning Solution, published on 21 Jan 2026. 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-2025-15521 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: kodezen Academy LMS – WordPress LMS Plugin for Complete eLearning Solution. 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-2025-15521/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-15521/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-15521
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-15521
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-15521

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-15521/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.