CVE-2026-23550
Published: 14 January 2026
Summary
CVE-2026-23550 is a critical-severity Incorrect Privilege Assignment (CWE-266) vulnerability. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 10.7% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 AC-6 (Least Privilege) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
Remediating the specific flaw in the Modular DS modular-connector plugin by patching to a version beyond 2.5.1 directly eliminates the incorrect privilege assignment enabling unauthenticated escalation.
Enforcing least privilege ensures that even with plugin mishandling, escalated privileges remain minimal and contained, directly countering the privilege escalation vulnerability.
Access enforcement mechanisms restrict logical access in accordance with policy, mitigating unauthorized privilege escalations attempted via the plugin's connector component.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
The vulnerability allows unauthenticated remote exploitation of a public-facing WordPress plugin (T1190) to achieve privilege escalation (T1068).
NVD Description
Incorrect Privilege Assignment vulnerability in Modular DS Modular DS modular-connector allows Privilege Escalation.This issue affects Modular DS: from n/a through <= 2.5.1.
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2026-23550 is an Incorrect Privilege Assignment vulnerability (CWE-266) in the Modular DS modular-connector WordPress plugin, which enables privilege escalation. The issue affects all versions of the Modular DS Monitor, Update, and Backup Multiple Websites plugin up to and including 2.5.1. With a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (Critical), it stems from improper handling of privileges within the plugin's connector component.
Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this vulnerability remotely over the network with low complexity and no user interaction required (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U). Successful exploitation allows privilege escalation, granting high-impact access to confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H), potentially leading to full site compromise such as arbitrary code execution or data exfiltration on affected WordPress installations.
Patchstack has published an advisory detailing the vulnerability in the Modular DS plugin version 2.5.1, available at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Plugin/modular-connector/vulnerability/wordpress-modular-ds-monitor-update-and-backup-multiple-websites-plugin-2-5-1-privilege-escalation-vulnerability?_s_id=cve. Security practitioners should update to a patched version beyond 2.5.1 if available and review access controls on WordPress sites using this plugin.
Details
- CWE(s)