CVE-2026-8499

Helpfulcrowd Product Reviews <= 1.2.9 - Inccorect Authorization via Type Juggling in 'token' Parameter to Arbitrary Settings Update

Published Jun 9, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 5.3 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
The Helpfulcrowd Product Reviews plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Authorization Bypass via PHP Type Juggling in versions up to, and including, 1.2.9. This is due to the `helpfulcrowd_validate_token()` function using a loose comparison operator (`!=`) instead of a strict comparison (`!==`) when validating the `token` parameter, while the corresponding REST route `/wp-json/helpfulcrowd/v1/update-settings` is registered with a `permission_callback` of `__return_true`, making it reachable by unauthenticated users; submitting a JSON boolean `true` as the `token` value causes PHP's loose comparison to evaluate as equal to the non-empty base64-encoded secret string, bypassing the check entirely. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to invoke `helpfulcrowd_settings_endpoint()` and write arbitrary attacker-controlled key-value pairs directly into the `helpfulcrowd_options` WordPress database option via `update_option()` without any sanitization or allowlist filtering, enabling full unauthenticated modification of the plugin's stored configuration.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

No advisories available
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Helpfulcrowd
Helpfulcrowd helpfulcrowd Product Reviews
Wordpress
Wordpress wordpress
Vendors & Products Helpfulcrowd
Helpfulcrowd helpfulcrowd Product Reviews
Wordpress
Wordpress wordpress
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description The Helpfulcrowd Product Reviews plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Authorization Bypass via PHP Type Juggling in versions up to, and including, 1.2.9. This is due to the `helpfulcrowd_validate_token()` function using a loose comparison operator (`!=`) instead of a strict comparison (`!==`) when validating the `token` parameter, while the corresponding REST route `/wp-json/helpfulcrowd/v1/update-settings` is registered with a `permission_callback` of `__return_true`, making it reachable by unauthenticated users; submitting a JSON boolean `true` as the `token` value causes PHP's loose comparison to evaluate as equal to the non-empty base64-encoded secret string, bypassing the check entirely. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to invoke `helpfulcrowd_settings_endpoint()` and write arbitrary attacker-controlled key-value pairs directly into the `helpfulcrowd_options` WordPress database option via `update_option()` without any sanitization or allowlist filtering, enabling full unauthenticated modification of the plugin's stored configuration.
Title Helpfulcrowd Product Reviews <= 1.2.9 - Inccorect Authorization via Type Juggling in 'token' Parameter to Arbitrary Settings Update
Weaknesses CWE-843
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.3, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Wordfence
Published
Updated
Jun 9, 2026, 4:01 PM
Reserved
May 13, 2026, 7:49 PM
Status
Deferred
Published
Jun 9, 2026, 5:16 AM
Modified
Jul 23, 2026, 8:10 AM