CVE-2026-9018

HIGH

Easy Elements for Elementor – Addons & Website Templates <= 1.4.5 - Unauthenticated Privilege Escalation via 'custom_meta' Parameter

Title source: cna
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 1 public exploit for CVE-2026-9018. PoCs published by xxconi.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2026-9018, an unauthenticated privilege escalation vulnerability in the Easy Elements for Elementor plugin (≤ 1.4.5). The exploit leverages the `custom_meta` parameter to overwrite `wp_capabilities` and create an administrator account.

Description

The Easy Elements for Elementor – Addons & Website Templates plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 1.4.5 via the `easyel_handle_register()` function. This is due to the `wp_ajax_nopriv_eel_register` AJAX handler iterating the attacker-controlled `custom_meta` POST array and writing every supplied key-value pair to the newly created user's meta via `update_user_meta()` without any key whitelist or blocklist, allowing the `wp_capabilities` user meta key to be overwritten after `wp_insert_user()` has already assigned a safe role. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to register a new account with full administrator-level privileges by supplying `custom_meta[wp_capabilities][administrator]=1`. Exploitation requires that user registration is enabled on the site and that at least one page exposes the Login/Register widget, which publishes the required `easy_elements_nonce` into the page DOM where it can be retrieved by any unauthenticated visitor via a simple GET request.

Exploits (1)

github WORKING POC
by xxconi · pythonpoc
https://github.com/xxconi/CVE-2026-9018

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2026-9018, an unauthenticated privilege escalation vulnerability in the Easy Elements for Elementor plugin (≤ 1.4.5). The exploit leverages the `custom_meta` parameter to overwrite `wp_capabilities` and create an administrator account.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Auth Bypass
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Easy Elements for Elementor – Addons & Website Templates (≤ 1.4.5)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: WordPress user registration enabled · Login/Register widget publicly accessible · Nonce value exposed in DOM
devstral-2 · analyzed May 23, 2026 Full analysis →

Scores

CVSS v3 8.8
EPSS 0.0003
EPSS Percentile 8.7%
Attack Vector NETWORK
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CISA SSVC

Vulnrichment
Exploitation none
Automatable no
Technical Impact total

Details

CWE
CWE-269
Status published
Products (1)
themewant/Easy Elements for Elementor – Addons & Website Templates < 1.4.5
Published May 22, 2026
Tracked Since May 22, 2026