Profile Builder: Author-created accounts with elevated non-Administrator roles
The User Profile Builder – Beautiful User Registration Forms, User Profiles & User Role Editor plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Limited Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 4.0.3. This is due to the Gutenberg Register block passing the attacker-controlled Assigned Role attribute directly into the `[wppb-register]` shortcode without server-side authorization. The role guard in the form builder only downgrades roles that carry the manage_options or remove_users capability, leaving the Editor role and other privileged non-Administrator roles completely unrestricted. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with Author-level access and above to create new WordPress accounts bearing the Editor role (or any other role that lacks the two guarded capabilities). Other endpoint, parameter, role or implementation details not named in this export are not established by this record. Affected versions: at most 4.0.3.
- Component
- User Profile Builder – Beautiful User Registration Forms, User Profiles & User Role Editor
- Plugin slug
profile-builder- Affected
- <= 4.0.3
- Safe version
4.0.4- Published
- Oct 24, 2026
This CVE was published Oct 24, 2026 and is one of 38 known issues for this plugin.
Update, patch or deactivate.
The official author notes confirm remediation in 4.0.4. Update to 4.0.5 or a later supported release. Official notes: https://www.cozmoslabs.com/docs/profile-builder/free-changelog/. Authorize the requested Assigned Role server-side and allow only roles the caller is permitted to assign. Do not rely on a denylist of two Administrator capabilities; retain Author/Contributor registration-block restrictions.
A safe version is available, so updating to that version or later is the preferred remediation. If an immediate update is not practical, consider a targeted application patch or temporarily restricting the affected functionality.
Deactivate only when warranted by your risk profile, or when advised by your hosting provider in the limited circumstances where the vulnerability cannot otherwise be mitigated. If you’re unsure which action is appropriate, contact Fused or your hosting provider for guidance.
Technical description
The User Profile Builder – Beautiful User Registration Forms, User Profiles & User Role Editor plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Limited Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 4.0.3. This is due to the Gutenberg Register block passing the attacker-controlled Assigned Role attribute directly into the `[wppb-register]` shortcode without server-side authorization. The role guard in the form builder only downgrades roles that carry the manage_options or remove_users capability, leaving the Editor role and other privileged non-Administrator roles completely unrestricted. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with Author-level access and above to create new WordPress accounts bearing the Editor role (or any other role that lacks the two guarded capabilities).
CVE / CNA vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N