CVE-2026-1271 Missing authorization in ProfileGrid – User Profiles, Groups and Communities
Authenticated attackers can modify any user's profile or cover image due to missing authorization checks in the ProfileGrid WordPress plugin.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2026-1271?
CVE-2026-1271 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in metagauss ProfileGrid – User Profiles, Groups and Communities, published on 5 Feb 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Official description
The ProfileGrid – User Profiles, Groups and Communities plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Insecure Direct Object Reference in all versions up to, and including, 5.9.7.2 via the 'pm_upload_image' and 'pm_upload_cover_image' AJAX actions. This is due to the update_user_meta() function being called outside of the user authorization check in public/partials/crop.php and public/partials/coverimg_crop.php. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to change any user's profile picture or cover image, including administrators.
Weakness: CWE-639
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-1271?
How do I fix CVE-2026-1271?
No fix has been published for CVE-2026-1271 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Upgrade, and check permissions on every request on the server, not only in the interface. More about Missing authorization.
Is CVE-2026-1271 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-1271 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-943c-ghg8-8g2w.