# CVE-2026-18052: ManageWP Worker WordPress plugin authentication bypass via unsigned auto-login

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-18052-managewp-worker-wordpress-plugin-authentication-bypass-via  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-08-22. Updated: 2026-09-25  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-18052 · Severity: high · CVSS 8.1 · Published 2026-08-22

ManageWP Worker is a plugin that allows WordPress site administrators to delegate management tasks to a centralized dashboard. The plugin's auto-login feature fails to properly validate which account is being logged in, allowing attackers who obtain a valid login URL to impersonate any user, including administrators. This could lead to complete site compromise, data theft, or malicious modifications.

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-18052 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-18052 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-18052?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 8.1, published 22 August 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** ManageWP Worker before 4.9.37.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-18052?** A patch was published on 2026-08-22: Fixed in version 4.9.37 Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-18052 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-18052?** Check whether anything you run is named in the advisory. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

The vulnerability is an authentication bypass stemming from improper signature validation in the auto-login mechanism. The plugin signs a message containing only the `mwp_goto` and `message_id` parameters, but not the `username` parameter—allowing an attacker to swap the username field while keeping the same valid signature. Additionally, in versions up to 4.9.35, the lack of a delimiter between signed fields enables replay attacks where a consumed auto-login URL can be regenerated with different message_id values. Exploitation requires the site to be connected to ManageWP (the normal state) and possession of a valid auto-login URL issued within the past 12 hours; no authentication, private key, or dashboard access is needed. An attacker can directly access WordPress admin functionality as any user, including administrators.

## Affected products

- ManageWP Worker before 4.9.37

## Timeline

- 2026-08-20: disclosed
- 2026-08-22: advisory
- 2026-08-22: patched: Fixed in version 4.9.37

## References

- [https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/e1e8c313-f7ea-4f3a-85c0-4f33dfe0710d/](https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/e1e8c313-f7ea-4f3a-85c0-4f33dfe0710d/)