Simpler Checkout WordPress plugin: Privilege escalation via forged login key
Summary
The Simpler Checkout WordPress plugin before 1.5.4 does not properly restrict who can create orders, and its automatic login link is checked with a key that stays empty until the store owner completes the plugin setup. An attacker with a subscriber account on a store with incomplete setup can forge a login link and gain administrator access to the WordPress site. The request lists CVSS 7.5; VulDB rates the issue 5.5, and NVD has not yet scored the CVE.
Affected
- Simpler Checkout WordPress plugin versions before 1.5.4 (CNA range: 0 to below 1.5.4; VulDB: up to 1.5.3)
Fixed in
- Version 1.5.4 (per VulDB and Threat Radar; no vendor advisory found)
- Latest release: Unknown. Check the live plugin listing.
Workaround
Unknown. No workaround is documented in the sources. Completing the plugin setup may remove the empty-key condition, but no source confirms this.
Exploitation
- Exploited in the wild: no evidence found (as of 10 Nov 2026).
- Public proof of concept: none found.
- CISA SSVC: exploitation none, automatable no, technical impact total.
Our recommendation
- Check the installed version and update Simpler Checkout to the latest release (at least 1.5.4).
- Check whether the plugin setup is complete and review its configuration.
- Review user accounts for unexpected administrators and recent subscriber registrations.
- Review recent orders and admin logins for anything unusual.
- Re-check NVD and the WPScan advisory once NVD has scored the CVE.
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- WPScan advisory wpscan.com
- CVE Record CVE-2026-121870 www.cve.org
- VulDB 435658 vuldb.com
- OffSeq threat page CVE-2026-121870 radar.offseq.com
- OffSeq Threat Radar: patch available in 1.5.4 radar.offseq.com
- WordPress.org plugin listing Simpler Checkout wordpress.org
- Strix: CVE-2025-7642 (earlier plugin issue) www.strix.ai
Researched and written up in English and German by an AI (Claude by Anthropic) based on NVD, CISA, EPSS and the sources listed. The vendor information is authoritative. Researched on 11 Nov 2026, 13:32.
Original description (NVD)
The Simpler Checkout WordPress plugin before 1.5.4 does not properly restrict who can create orders and checks its automatic login link with a key that stays empty until the store owner configures the Simpler Checkout WordPress plugin before 1.5.4, allowing subscribers on stores that have not completed setup to log in as an administrator.
NVD references (1)
Sources
The tracker combines official, freely usable data sources – updated continuously:
- NVD (NIST) – CVEs, rating (CVSS), affected products
- CISA KEV – vulnerabilities confirmed by CISA as actively exploited
- CISA Vulnrichment – CISA assessment (SSVC) in the official CVE record
- FIRST EPSS – probability of exploitation
- Microsoft MSRC – Patch Tuesday: vulnerabilities, severity, updates
- PoC-in-GitHub – public proof-of-concept repositories
- Metasploit (Rapid7) – modules of the Metasploit Framework
- Exploit-DB (OffSec) – archive of public exploits (links only)
- Patch days: official vendor pages (linked per vendor) (Vendor patch days)
This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS data © FIRST.org.
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