CVE-2016-5838
WordPress before 4.5.3 allows remote attackers to bypass intended password-change restrictions by...
WordPress before 4.5.3 allows remote attackers to bypass intended password-change restrictions by leveraging knowledge of a cookie.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
WordPress before 4.5.3 allows remote attackers to bypass intended password-change restrictions by leveraging knowledge of a cookie.
- Record
CVE-2016-5838- CVSS 3.0
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - CVSS 2.0
- 5.0 Medium
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-255
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
WordPress before 4.5.3 allows remote attackers to bypass intended password-change restrictions by leveraging knowledge of a cookie.
- Record
CVE-2016-5838- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2016-6773 No score
WordPress before 4.5.3 allows remote attackers to bypass intended password-change restrictions by leveraging knowledge of a cookie.
- Record
EUVD-2016-6773- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-q59q-2whf-h2x9
WordPress before 4.5.3 allows remote attackers to bypass intended password-change restrictions by...
WordPress before 4.5.3 allows remote attackers to bypass intended password-change restrictions by leveraging knowledge of a cookie.
- Record
GHSA-q59q-2whf-h2x9- CVSS 3.0
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
WordPress before 4.5.3 allows remote attackers to bypass intended password-change restrictions by leveraging knowledge of a cookie.
- Record
CVE-2016-5838- CVSS 3.0
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2016-5838
WordPress before 4.5.3 allows remote attackers to bypass intended password-change restrictions by leveraging knowledge of a cookie.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2016-5838- CVSS 3.0
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2016-5838
WordPress before 4.5.3 allows remote attackers to bypass intended password-change restrictions by leveraging knowledge of a cookie.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2016-5838- CVSS 3.0
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
wordpressDebian:12 |
before 4.5.3+dfsg-1 | 4.5.3+dfsg-1 |
wordpressDebian:13 |
before 4.5.3+dfsg-1 | 4.5.3+dfsg-1 |
wordpressDebian:14 |
before 4.5.3+dfsg-1 | 4.5.3+dfsg-1 |
wordpressDebian:7 |
before 3.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u11, plus listed versions 3.5.1+dfsg-23.5.2+dfsg-13.5.2+dfsg-1~deb6u13.5.2+dfsg-1~deb7u13.6+dfsg-1 Show 18 moreShow less3.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u13.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u23.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u33.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u43.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u53.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u63.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u73.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u83.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u93.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u13.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u103.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u23.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u33.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u43.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u53.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u63.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u83.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u9 |
3.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u11 |
wordpressDebian:8 |
before 4.1+dfsg-1+deb8u9, plus listed versions 4.1+dfsg-14.1+dfsg-1+deb8u14.1+dfsg-1+deb8u24.1+dfsg-1+deb8u34.1+dfsg-1+deb8u4 Show 4 moreShow less4.1+dfsg-1+deb8u54.1+dfsg-1+deb8u64.1+dfsg-1+deb8u74.1+dfsg-1+deb8u8 |
4.1+dfsg-1+deb8u9 |
wordpressUbuntu:16.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 4.3+dfsg-14.3.1+dfsg-14.4+dfsg-14.4.1+dfsg-14.4.2+dfsg-14.4.2+dfsg-1ubuntu1 |
None known |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2016-5838 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.5) in Wordpress, published June 29, 2016. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 2.86%, the 86th percentile. Fixed in wordpress 4.5.3+dfsg-1.