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Mang Board WP Plugin Vulnerability (CVE-2026-75977)

Nick Paliughi
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Security Alert Summary

The Mang Board WP plugin for WordPress (all versions up to and including 2.3.7) contains an authentication cookie forgery vulnerability. Flawed HMAC generation and insufficient validation make it possible for authenticated users with subscriber-level access and above to forge administrator authentication cookies, change administrator passwords, and achieve complete site takeover.

CVE Details

  • CVE ID: CVE-2026-75977
  • Affected plugin or component: Mang Board WP plugin (vendor: kitae-park)
  • Affected versions: All versions up to and including 2.3.7
  • Published: August 26, 2026 at 8:16:46 AM UTC
  • Last modified: August 26, 2026 at 4:19:05 PM UTC
  • CVSS v3.1: Base score 8.8, severity HIGH, vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
  • Authentication / privileges / user interaction: Requires an authenticated WordPress user. Privileges required: LOW (subscriber-level or above). User interaction: NONE.
  • Primary impact: Confidentiality: HIGH. Integrity: HIGH. Availability: HIGH.
  • CWE / weakness ID: CWE-269

Technical Details

The vulnerability is a Missing Authorization via Authentication Cookie Forgery. A flaw in the mbw_get_hash_key() function causes HMAC generation to use the current logged-in user identity instead of the cookie username parameter. Combined with insufficient validation in mbw_validate_auth_cookie(), this allows an authenticated attacker (subscriber-level or higher) to forge authentication cookies for administrator accounts.

The described weakness specifically names the following functions and behaviors:

  • mbw_get_hash_key(): flawed HMAC generation using the current user identity rather than the cookie username when a WordPress user is logged in.
  • mbw_validate_auth_cookie(): insufficient validation that fails to detect the forged cookie in some scenarios.

Impact as reported: a forged administrator authentication cookie can be used to change administrator passwords, which can lead to complete site takeover if the attacker gains administrator access. The description and CVSS metrics support these impacts; avoid assuming additional unrelated attack paths beyond the provided data.

How This Could Impact Your Website

Consider a typical small business WordPress site with a site owner, internal staff members (editors or authors), and external contributors or contractors who have subscriber-level accounts. An attacker who already has a subscriber account could exploit this flaw to forge an administrator cookie and change an administrator password. Practical consequences include unauthorized administrator access, exposure or modification of site content, and elevated ability to create persistent backdoors.

Specific risks include exposure of internal user email addresses and profiles, and increased risk of targeted phishing or social engineering against staff or contractors once administrator-level access is obtained. If youre unsure whether your site is affected or how to assess your current user roles and plugins, it may be worth having a professional review your setup.

Recommended Actions

  • Update the affected plugin as soon as a patched version is available.
  • Review and reduce unnecessary user roles and capabilities, especially accounts with contributor or subscriber roles that are not needed.
  • Enforce strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication for editors and administrators.
  • Remove unused or unmaintained plugins from your site.
  • Monitor site activity and authentication logs for unusual behavior, such as unexpected password changes or new administrator accounts.

If youd like help reviewing your plugins, user roles, or overall WordPress security posture, our team at Freshy is happy to help.

References

Nick Paliughihttps://freshysites.com/team/nick-paliughi/
Nick was born in California and now resides in Lake Worth, FL. He has 10 years of experience building and maintaining sites in WordPress, which he is excited to put to use at Freshy. Prior to starting at Freshy in 2022 his focus was on WordPress security & malware removal. When he’s not tending to your website, Nick is installing exhibitions at art galleries and museums in Palm Beach County, and if he’s lucky surfing at the Lake Worth pier.

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