WPGraphQL: Contributor can publish and modify posts without the required capabilities via updatePost

published 2026-09-23 46 d ago modified 2026-09-23 46 d ago also EUVD-2026-85310 , GHSA-5mmc-8pc9-wggg

cvss: 5.4; version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev: Not listed; not in CISA's catalog
epss: 0.4%; EPSS 0.4% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 32%
public exploits: 0; none known

WPGraphQL provides a GraphQL API for WordPress sites. Prior to 2.22.2, the updatePost mutation in src/Mutation/PostObjectUpdate.php checks only the collection-level edit_posts capability and the post author, but does not enforce the object-level edit_post capability or require publish_posts for public status transitions. An authenticated Contributor can therefore publish the Contributor's own draft without editorial approval or modify the Contributor's previously published post despite lacking edit_published_posts, while posts owned by other authors remain protected. This issue is fixed in version 2.22.2.

Patch / fix

fixed in 1 links 3

wpengine wpgraphql 2.22.2

github.com/wp-graphql/wp-graphql@5544166 commit
github.com/wp-graphql/wp-graphql#4270 pull request
github.com/wp-graphql/wp-graphql/releases/tag/wp-graphql%2Fv2.22.2 release

CISA SSVC

Exploitation: Proof of concept is public
Automatable: no
Technical impact: partial
Assessed: 46 d ago (2026-09-23)

Exploit prediction

0.38% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 32% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

Exploits and checks

github.com https://github.com/wp-graphql/wp-graphql/security/advisories/GHSA-5mmc-8pc9-wggg referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified

CVSS scores

assigned by	version	score	vector
CNA	3.1	5.4	CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L
GitHub	3.1	5.4	CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L

Affected packages

ecosystem	package	affected	fixed in
packagist	wp-graphql/wp-graphql	all versions	no fix listed

Affected products

wp-graphql wp-graphql

Classification

Weakness

CWE-863 Incorrect Authorization

Technology feeds

WordPress rss critical rss

References

Sources

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.

CPEs and fixed versions use Anchore's correction of NVD's data: Added CPE configurations because not yet analyzed by NVD.

Summary