Vulnerability record · CVE-2026-12224 · published 1 July 2026
CVE-2026-12224: Improper privilege management vulnerability
The Dokan Pro plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to privilege escalation via update_capabilities REST Endpoint in all versions up to, and including, 5.0.4. This is due to the `update_capabilities()` REST handler accepting arbitrary capability strings from the request body and passing them directly to WP_User::add_cap() with no allowlist validation, only verifying that the caller holds the dokandar capability. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with a self-provisioned Vendor-level access and above, on sites with the Vendor Staff module enabled, to grant arbitrary WordPress capabilities, including administrator, to any vendor_staff account, leading to a full site takeover.
Description
The Dokan Pro plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to privilege escalation via update_capabilities REST Endpoint in all versions up to, and including, 5.0.4. This is due to the `update_capabilities()` REST handler accepting arbitrary capability strings from the request body and passing them directly to WP_User::add_cap() with no allowlist validation, only verifying that the caller holds the dokandar capability. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with a self-provisioned Vendor-level access and above, on sites with the Vendor Staff module enabled, to grant arbitrary WordPress capabilities, including administrator, to any vendor_staff account, leading to a full site takeover.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
References
Track CVE-2026-12224 inside VULONE
Watch it alongside the ransomware crews, C2 infrastructure and forum chatter that reference it, query it through the API and pull it into your SIEM over TAXII.
Related vulnerabilities
Same products first, then exploited flaws of the same weakness class.
Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2026-12224), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-27). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.