# CVE-2026-4609: ProfileGrid <= 5.9.8.4 - Missing Authorization to Authenticated (Subscriber+) Arbitrary Group Joining

> Authenticated subscribers can bypass authorization to join any ProfileGrid group, including paid ones, in the WordPress plugin.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N`)
- **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:** 13 May 2026
- **Updated:** 13 May 2026

## What is CVE-2026-4609?

CVE-2026-4609 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in metagauss ProfileGrid – User Profiles, Groups and Communities, published on 13 May 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The ProfileGrid – User Profiles, Groups and Communities plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access due to a missing capability check on the pm_invite_user function in all versions up to, and including, 5.9.8.4. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to add themselves or any registered user to any ProfileGrid group, including closed and paid groups, bypassing all authorization and payment gates.

Weakness: CWE-862 (Missing Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-4609?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-4609?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-4609 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-4609 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-4609 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-4609 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-4609 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in metagauss ProfileGrid – User Profiles, Groups and Communities, published on 13 May 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-4609 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: metagauss ProfileGrid – User Profiles, Groups and Communities. 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-2026-4609/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-4609/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-4609
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-4609
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-4609

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-4609/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.