# CVE-2026-18056: Auth bypass in HivePress Authentication

> Unauthenticated attackers can bypass authentication and log in as any user, including administrators, by supplying a valid Facebook access token without proper validation.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/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:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 6 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 7 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-55w6-5hh5-wj3r

## What is CVE-2026-18056?

CVE-2026-18056 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in HivePress Authentication, published on 6 Sep 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The HivePress Authentication plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Authentication Bypass via the access_token parameter in all versions up to, and including, 1.1.4. This is due to the authenticate_user function's Facebook authenticator resolving third-party identity by forwarding the attacker-supplied access_token to the Facebook Graph API and trusting the returned email and ID verbatim, without performing any application ID or audience validation — specifically, no /debug_token verification and no comparison of the token's app_id against the configured hp_facebook_app_id. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to authenticate as any existing WordPress user, including administrators, whose email address is associated with a Facebook account for which the attacker can obtain any valid access token. Important Note: To exploit the vulnerability, the attacker must obtain the victim's access token.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-18056?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-18056?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-18056 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-18056 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-18056 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-18056 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-18056 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in HivePress Authentication, published on 6 Sep 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-18056 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: HivePress Authentication. 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-2026-18056/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-18056/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-18056
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-18056
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-18056

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-18056/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.