Description

Unauthenticated Broken Access Control in Quick Event Manager <= 9.17 versions.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "7.5",
  "pubDate": "2026-09-03T17:17:29.643Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-09-03T17:17:29.643Z",
  "executiveSummary": "Quick Event Manager versions 9.17 and below are susceptible to an unauthenticated broken access control vulnerability. This flaw allows unauthorized users to perform sensitive actions or access restricted resources without verifying the requester's identity or authorization status. By failing to implement mandatory server-side access control checks, the plugin exposes administrative or restricted functionality to remote, unauthenticated attackers. The impact of this vulnerability is significant, as it could lead to unauthorized data exposure, modification of event configurations, or potential site compromise depending on the accessible endpoints. The vulnerability requires no authentication, making it reachable by any remote entity with network access to the target installation. The risk is critical, particularly for organizations relying on the plugin to manage sensitive event data or administrative workflows. There are no requirements for user interaction or special privileges, allowing attackers to exploit the flaw directly via HTTP requests to the vulnerable endpoints.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability originates from a systemic failure in the access control logic within Quick Event Manager versions 9.17 and earlier. In the plugin architecture, sensitive functions and administrative endpoints lack robust validation routines to verify the session authenticity or the authorization levels of the incoming request. This constitutes an Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR) or a Missing Function Level Access Control scenario, where the application assumes that the execution of a specific function or access to a resource implies implicit authorization.\nThe attack flow commences when an attacker identifies the relevant HTTP endpoints associated with the plugin's administrative or management features. By observing the application's traffic, an attacker can determine the parameters required to trigger specific backend logic. Because the application fails to perform a capability check—typically implemented via WordPress mechanisms like current_user_can()—the server executes the requested actions regardless of the user's login status. An unauthenticated attacker can craft specialized HTTP GET or POST requests targeted at these exposed endpoints.\nThe technical root cause resides in the handling of plugin-defined actions that are registered without appropriate security nonces or conditional checks within the request handler. Upon receiving a request, the server executes the underlying PHP functions to process event data, modify configurations, or retrieve private event details. Since the security layer is absent, the backend logic proceeds under the assumption that the request was initiated by an authorized administrator. The vulnerability exists within the plugin's core request processing logic, potentially affecting multiple files responsible for event management and administrative hooks.\nExploitation does not require prior knowledge of legitimate user credentials or the presence of an active administrative session. The attack surface is entirely network-exposed, meaning any entity capable of reaching the web server can leverage this flaw. Post-exploitation, an attacker may effectively manipulate event information, delete content, or potentially leak sensitive information stored within the event management database. This compromise bypasses standard WordPress permission models, granting the attacker functional access that exceeds their intended privileges."
}