CVE-2025-15100
📋 TL;DR
The JAY Login & Register WordPress plugin contains a privilege escalation vulnerability that allows authenticated users with Subscriber-level access or higher to elevate their privileges to administrator. This occurs because the plugin's 'jay_panel_ajax_update_profile' function permits arbitrary user meta updates. All WordPress sites using vulnerable plugin versions are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- JAY Login & Register WordPress plugin
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers gain full administrative control over the WordPress site, enabling them to install malicious plugins/themes, modify content, steal data, or establish persistent backdoors.
Likely Case
Attackers elevate privileges to administrator and compromise the site for defacement, data theft, or malware distribution.
If Mitigated
With proper access controls and monitoring, exploitation attempts are detected and blocked before privilege escalation occurs.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated access but is straightforward once an attacker has a low-privilege account. The vulnerability is well-documented with public references.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 2.6.04 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/jay-login-register
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins. 3. Find 'JAY Login & Register' and check for updates. 4. If update is available, click 'Update Now'. 5. If no update is available, deactivate and delete the plugin immediately.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable vulnerable plugin
allDeactivate the JAY Login & Register plugin to prevent exploitation while awaiting patch.
wp plugin deactivate jay-login-register
Restrict user registration
allTemporarily disable new user registration to prevent attackers from creating low-privilege accounts.
wp option update users_can_register 0
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Immediately deactivate and remove the JAY Login & Register plugin from all WordPress installations.
- Implement strict monitoring of user privilege changes and audit all existing user accounts for unauthorized administrative access.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check the plugin version in WordPress admin under Plugins > Installed Plugins. If JAY Login & Register version is 2.6.03 or earlier, the system is vulnerable.Check Version:
wp plugin get jay-login-register --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
After updating, verify the plugin version shows 2.6.04 or later. Test that authenticated users cannot modify user meta through the profile update functionality.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual user role changes from Subscriber/Contributor to Administrator
- Multiple failed privilege escalation attempts in WordPress logs
- Suspicious AJAX requests to 'jay_panel_ajax_update_profile' endpoint
Network Indicators:
- POST requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php with action=jay_panel_ajax_update_profile containing user meta modification parameters
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress.log" AND ("user role changed" OR "jay_panel_ajax_update_profile")