CVE-2026-9018
Easy Elements for Elementor – Addons & Website Templates <= 1.4.5 - Unauthenticated Privilege Escalation via 'custom_meta' Parameter
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.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
8.8
Easy Elements for Elementor – Addons & Website Templates <= 1.4.5 - Unauthenticated Privilege Escalation via 'custom_meta' Parameter
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-9018- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-31410
8.8
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.
- Record
EUVD-2026-31410- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-jvg6-x4cw-2wj7
8.8
The Easy Elements for Elementor – Addons & Website Templates plugin for WordPress is vulnerable...
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.
- Record
GHSA-jvg6-x4cw-2wj7- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
8.8
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-9018- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| PoC in GitHub | xxconi/CVE-2026-9018 | 2026-05-23 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-9018 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.8) in Themewant Easy Elements For Elementor – Addons & Website Templates, published May 22, 2026. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.71%, the 53rd percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/f1de4899-532a-4558-bff0-f4610bfdd49d?source=cve
plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/easy-elements/tags/1.4.5/widgets/login-register/class.login-register.php
plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/easy-elements/tags/1.4.5/includes/Utils/Enqueue.php
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-9018
github.com/advisories/GHSA-jvg6-x4cw-2wj7