High severity · published Jun 9, 2026
CVE-2026-11616
Events Calendar for GeoDirectory <= 2.3.28 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) Privilege Escalation
8.8
CVSS
0.3%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
The Events Calendar for GeoDirectory plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in versions up to and including 2.3.28. This is due to the ajax_ayi_action() handler only applying strip_tags(esc_sql()) — with no allow-list — to the attacker-controlled $_POST['type'] and $_POST['postid'] values before forwarding them to update_ayi_data(), which calls update_user_meta($current_user->ID, $rsvp_args['type'], $posts). By passing type=wp_capabilities and postid=administrator, an attacker writes ['subscriber'=>true,'administrator'=>'administrator'] into their own wp_capabilities user meta; WP_User::get_role_caps() then treats the 'administrator' array key as an active role on the next request. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to elevate their privileges to Administrator.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.3% · higher than 20% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
EC
Events Calendar for GeoDirectory · stiofansisland
through 2.3.28 · source: vendor
Affected product
EC
Events Calendar for GeoDirectory
stiofansisland
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-11616
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-11616
plugins.trac.wordpress.org
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/events-for-geodirectory/tags/2.3.28/includes/class-geodir-event-ayi.php#L154
plugins.trac.wordpress.org
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/events-for-geodirectory/tags/2.3.28/includes/class-geodir-event-ayi.php#L357
plugins.trac.wordpress.org
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?sfp_email=&sfph_mail=&reponame=&old=3533585%40events-for-geodirectory&new=3533585%40events-for-geodirectory&sfp_email=&sfph_mail=
www.wordfence.com
https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/11ba187b-1fe4-4077-ad9d-a07660133e91?source=cve
