CVE-2026-78175
HighExploitedThe Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to PHP Object Injection in all versions up to, and including, 4.0.7 via the withdraw_method_field parameter of the tutor_save_withdraw_account AJAX handler.
Published Sep 12, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026 · Also known as EUVD-2026-76834, GHSA-cg5c-mg8j-jqc2, d0077d56-11e7-4e74-abe0-63e81db67be3
Key Facts
Patch immediately- CVE-2026-78175 is a high-severity vulnerability (CVSS 8.8 v3.1) affecting tutor (wordpress-plugin), Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution.
- It is exploited in the wild, listed in Industry KEV feed since Oct 13, 2026. No public exploit code is known.
- EPSS estimates a 1.1% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- Fixed versions are available, including tutor 4.0.8.
- Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is listed as exploited in the wild.
CVSS v3.1
8.8
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS (30-day exploit likelihood)
1.1%
Exploited in the wild
Yes
1 catalog listing
Public exploit code
None known
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Description
The Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to PHP Object Injection in all versions up to, and including, 4.0.7 via the withdraw_method_field parameter of the tutor_save_withdraw_account AJAX handler. This is due to the handler lacking any capability or role check, relying solely on a nonce, while also passing attacker-supplied values through esc_sql(), which replaces every % character with a 66-byte HMAC placeholder token before the data is serialized and stored via update_user_meta(); when the meta is later retrieved, the placeholder is collapsed back to a single %, leaving serialized string length declarations 65 bytes greater than the actual content, and because array keys originate from entirely unescaped POST field names, unserialize() over-reads into attacker-controlled bytes, allowing injection of an arbitrary serialized object stream. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level access and above, to achieve remote code execution on the server by triggering the GuzzleHttp\Cookie\FileCookieJar POP chain, reachable via the spl_autoload_register loader in TUTOR\RestAPI which loads the plugin's own bundled PayPal Composer autoloader, writing attacker-controlled content to an attacker-specified filename. This has an unauthenticated pathway when user registration is enabled, which is common for students and teachers to register, and it requires the monetization feature to be enabled.
Known-Exploited Catalog Listings
| Catalog | Added | Remediation due | Ransomware use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry KEV feed | Oct 13, 2026 | n/a | Not reported |
Required action: Apply remediations or mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if remediation or mitigations are unavailable.
Affected Products
3 affected entries in total| Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| tutorwordpress-plugin | See advisory | 4.0.8 |
| Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution | See advisory | n/a |
Patched Releases
tutor
4.0.8
Timeline
Publicly disclosed
Sep 12, 2026
Last updated
Sep 15, 2026
Added to Industry KEV feed
Oct 13, 2026
Weakness Type
- CWE-502 Deserialization of Untrusted Data
References
- advisoryhttps://patchstack.com/database
- advisoryhttps://wpscan.com/plugins/
- advisoryUSOM advisory
- advisoryhttps://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/
- advisoryhttps://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/d0077d56-11e7-4e74-abe0-63e81db67be3?source=api-prod
FAQ
Common Questions.
The Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to PHP Object Injection in all versions up to, and including, 4.0.7 via the withdraw_method_field parameter of the tutor_save_withdraw_account AJAX handler.
Affected: tutor (wordpress-plugin); Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution. The full list is in the CVE brief.
It is exploited in the wild, listed in Industry KEV feed since Oct 13, 2026.
No, it is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
No public exploit code is known.
Fixed versions are available, including tutor 4.0.8.
Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is listed as exploited in the wild.
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