Reported vulnerability
WPMU DEV Dashboard <= 5.0.0 - Authentication Bypass to Arbitrary Plugin Installation (Remote Code Execution) via Forged WDP_AUTH HMAC on ?wpmudev-hub= Endpoint
Published 5 Aug 2026
Updated 17 Sept 2026
CVE-2026-15459
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Does this affect my version?
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Wordfence advisory
high · CVSS 8.1The WPMU DEV Dashboard plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Authentication Bypass in all versions up to, and including, 5.0.0. On sites not yet connected to the WPMU DEV Hub — the default state after installation — the site API key that keys the WDP-AUTH request signature is empty, making the signature verified by validate_hash() trivially forgeable; version 5.0.0 additionally removed the replay check in validate_nonce(), and the remote handler is bound to the public init hook with no capability check. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to invoke privileged Hub actions — including installing and activating a plugin from an attacker-supplied URL (resulting in remote code execution), deleting plugins and themes, upgrading WordPress core, or logging in as an administrator via SSO. Sites connected to a WPMU DEV account, which have a non-empty 64-character API key, are not affected. CVE-2026-16051 is a duplicate of this.
Severity vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
WPMU DEV Dashboard
- Software
- plugin · wpmudev-updates
- Affected versions
- Start version unspecified, through 5.0.0
- Fix availability
- Fix available
- Fixed versions
- 5.0.1
Recommended action
Update to version 5.0.1, or a newer patched version
Further references (1)
Data sources and licences
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Read licence termsSource: Wordfence
Need help fixing this issue?
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Get help with this issueQuestions about this vulnerability
Which versions of WPMU DEV Dashboard are affected?
Wordfence lists these affected versions: Start version unspecified, through 5.0.0. Use the version checker above to compare your installed release with this report.
Is a fix available for WPMU DEV Dashboard?
Wordfence reports a fix for this issue in WPMU DEV Dashboard. It lists these fixed versions: 5.0.1. Back up your website and test the recommended update before applying it to your live site.
Where can I find my installed plugin version?
In WordPress, open Plugins > Installed Plugins and find the version shown beneath the plugin name.
Does an affected version mean my website has been hacked?
An affected version means the installed release matches a vulnerability described in this report. It does not show whether anyone has exploited it on your website. The checker compares version numbers with stored reports; it does not inspect your website.
Other reports for the same product
These reports cover at least one of the same plugins, themes or WordPress core. Check each report’s affected versions separately.