CVE-2026-18432: Software Security Vulnerability Vulnerability
CRITICALCVE-2026-18432 is a CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8) security vulnerability vulnerability (CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management) affecting Software libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The weakness occurs when the product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.
CVE-2026-18432 at a Glance
Security Impact
CVSS: 9.8
The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
How to Fix CVE-2026-18432
To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Software dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.
Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:
mvn dependency:treeHow to Check if You Are Affected
To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2026-18432, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:
mvn dependency:treeAnalyze the terminal output to locate any version of Software in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.
Note: The mvn dependency:tree command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.
Technical Details
Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis
This vulnerability is classified under CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management, where the product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor. In Software, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.
Source Advisory Statement
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2026-18432?
Which Software versions are affected?
What version fixes CVE-2026-18432?
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-18432?
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-18432?
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2026-18432?
Machine-readable OSV JSON
OSV v1.5 Schema
{
"schema_version" : "1.4.0",
"id" : "GHSA-ch22-9ppp-5952",
"modified" : "2026-08-16T06:30:25Z",
"published" : "2026-08-16T06:30:25Z",
"aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-18432" ],
"details" : "The Frontend Admin by DynamiApps plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 3.29.9. The vulnerability exists because `ActionUser::conditions_logic()` gates the `current_user_can('edit_user', $user_id)` authorization check behind an `is_numeric()` test, causing the check to be skipped entirely when `$user_id` is a non-numeric string — a condition that can be induced by passing a crafted value such as `1one` through the unvalidated `item_id` parameter of the unauthenticated `wp_ajax_nopriv_frontend_admin/forms/change_form` AJAX endpoint. This makes it possible for attackers to escalate privileges to administrator by obtaining a server-signed `_acf_objects` payload carrying the non-numeric user ID, which WordPress subsequently coerces to integer 1 (the default administrator), allowing the attacker to overwrite that account's password or email address. Exploitation by unauthenticated users requires a public-facing frontend user form to be configured; in all other cases a subscriber-level account is sufficient.",
"severity" : [ {
"type" : "CVSS_V3",
"score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
} ],
"affected" : [ ],
"references" : [ {
"type" : "ADVISORY",
"url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-18432"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/acf-frontend-form-element/tags/3.29.3/main/frontend/forms/actions/user.php#L565"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/acf-frontend-form-element/tags/3.29.3/main/frontend/forms/actions/user.php#L680"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/acf-frontend-form-element/tags/3.29.3/main/frontend/forms/classes/display.php#L1654"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/acf-frontend-form-element/tags/3.29.3/main/frontend/forms/classes/display.php#L1953"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/acf-frontend-form-element/tags/3.29.3/main/frontend/forms/classes/display.php#L37"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/acf-frontend-form-element/tags/3.29.9/main/frontend/forms/actions/user.php#L565"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/acf-frontend-form-element/tags/3.29.9/main/frontend/forms/actions/user.php#L680"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/acf-frontend-form-element/tags/3.29.9/main/frontend/forms/classes/display.php#L1654"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/acf-frontend-form-element/tags/3.29.9/main/frontend/forms/classes/display.php#L1953"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/acf-frontend-form-element/tags/3.29.9/main/frontend/forms/classes/display.php#L37"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?reponame=&old=3633030%40acf-frontend-form-element&new=3633030%40acf-frontend-form-element"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/01404fad-7b5a-485a-b557-c608fe25e6c9?source=cve"
} ],
"database_specific" : {
"cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-269" ],
"severity" : "CRITICAL",
"github_reviewed" : false,
"github_reviewed_at" : null,
"nvd_published_at" : "2026-08-16T05:16:48Z"
}
}