Is CVE-2017-16562 actively exploited?

A proof-of-concept exploit is publicly available for CVE-2017-16562, but active exploitation has not been confirmed.

Can CVE-2017-16562 be exploited remotely?

Yes. CVE-2017-16562 is exploitable remotely over the network (CVSS attack vector: Network).

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2017-16562?

CVE-2017-16562 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (CRITICAL).

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CRITICALPOC

CVE-2017-16562

CWE-287Published: November 10, 2017· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

9.8

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

The UserPro plugin before 4.9.17.1 for WordPress, when used on a site with the "admin" username, allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and obtain administrative access via a "true" value for the up_auto_log parameter in the QUERY_STRING to the default URI.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2017-16562 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 9.8.

A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit exists for CVE-2017-16562. While not yet confirmed in active campaigns, the availability of PoC code increases exploitation risk substantially.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-287): Authentication bypass vulnerabilities allow attackers to access protected resources without valid credentials.