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HuttenlocherTechnologies
HighCVSS 8.8WordPress plugins & themes

CVE-2026-11616

Events Calendar for GeoDirectory: Privilege Escalation

The Events Calendar for GeoDirectory plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in versions up to and including 2.3.28. This is due to the ajax_ayi_action() handler only applying strip_tags(esc_sql()) — with no allow-list — to the attacker-controlled $_POST['type'] and $_POST['postid'] values before forwarding them to update_ayi_data(), which calls update_user_meta($current_user->ID, $rsvp_args['type'], $posts). By passing type=wp_capabilities and postid=administrator, an attacker writes ['subscriber'=>true,'administrator'=>'administrator'] into their own wp_capabilities user meta; WP_User::get_role_caps() then treats the 'administrator' array key as an active role on the next request. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to elevate their privileges to Administrator.

Description from the National Vulnerability Database, published by Wordfence

What to do: Affects up to 2.3.28. Update Events Calendar for GeoDirectory to the newest version and check its changelog mentions this fix; if there isn’t one yet, deactivate it until there is.

What it means for a small business

Events Calendar for GeoDirectory is a WordPress plugin. If your website uses it, the flaw is on your site whether or not anyone has noticed yet: attackers scan the whole internet for the plugins with published flaws, usually within days of a record like this one going public.

Most small-business sites run 15 to 40 plugins, and few owners know the list. You can check from WordPress itself (Plugins, then Installed Plugins), or let our free plugin check look it up by name.

Check your own setup

Part of the Huttenlocher Technologies vulnerability database, refreshed twice a day from CISA and the NVD. The title, category and plain-language guidance are ours; check the linked record before acting on a detail. This is general guidance, not a review of your systems.

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