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CVE-2026-4021

HIGH 8.1 CVSS 3.1
Published
March 24, 2026
Last modified
June 17, 2026
NVD status
Deferred
Reported by
security@wordfence.com
Weakness
CWE-287
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Description

The Contest Gallery plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to an authentication bypass leading to admin account takeover in all versions up to, and including, 28.1.5. This is due to the email confirmation handler in `users-registry-check-after-email-or-pin-confirmation.php` using the user's email string in a `WHERE ID = %s` clause instead of the numeric user ID, combined with an unauthenticated key-based login endpoint in `ajax-functions-frontend.php`. When the non-default `RegMailOptional=1` setting is enabled, an attacker can register with a crafted email starting with the target user ID (e.g., `1poc@example.test`), trigger the confirmation flow to overwrite the admin's `user_activation_key` via MySQL integer coercion, and then use the `post_cg1l_login_user_by_key` AJAX action to authenticate as the admin without any credentials. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to take over any WordPress administrator account and gain full site control.

Affected WordPress components

  • Contest Gallery – Upload & Vote Photos, Media, Sell with PayPal & Stripe Plugin · contest-gallery
    Confirmed match Active
    Up to and including 28.1.5
    View on WordPress.org

A confirmed match is backed by the plugin or theme slug. A possible match is based on the product name only and should be verified.

Affected products and versions

  • contest-gallery Contest Gallery – Upload & Vote Photos, Media, Sell with PayPal & Stripe — Up to and including 28.1.5

References

  • plugins.trac.wordpress.org https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/contest-gallery/tags/28.1.4/ajax/ajax-functions-frontend.php#L204
  • plugins.trac.wordpress.org https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/contest-gallery/tags/28.1.4/v10/v10-admin/users/frontend/registry/users-registry-check-after-email-or-pin-confirmation.php#L153
  • plugins.trac.wordpress.org https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/contest-gallery/trunk/ajax/ajax-functions-frontend.php#L204
  • plugins.trac.wordpress.org https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/contest-gallery/trunk/v10/v10-admin/users/frontend/registry/users-registry-check-after-email-or-pin-confirmation.php#L153
  • plugins.trac.wordpress.org https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?old_path=/contest-gallery/tags/28.1.5&new_path=/contest-gallery/tags/28.1.6
  • www.wordfence.com https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/f1b9725b-dee5-44ca-bb33-c6812fb76adc?source=cve
  • nvd.nist.gov Official NVD record