Is Backstage safe to use?

Laskyr does not give safety verdicts. Backstage is closed on wordpress.org. Closed on 2026-06-29 (reason given: Security Issue). Closed plugins get no updates through WordPress, so new security holes will not be fixed for you. Keep Backstage on the latest version and remove it if you do not use it.

Which versions of Backstage are vulnerable?

Known issues on record (newest first): Privilege escalation (1.4.2 and older). The full list with sources is on this page.

What should I do if my Backstage is out of date?

Take a backup, then update it from Dashboard > Updates (or run wp plugin update backstage). If you cannot update right away, deactivate it until you can. If you think the site was already attacked, run a free scan at https://laskyr.com/scan.

Plugins · backstage · data as of 2026-11-04

Is Backstage safe? Known vulnerabilities and latest version

Status: Closed 2026-06-29
Known issues on record: 1
Unpatched in latest: 0

What to do

Replace it. A closed plugin gets no updates through WordPress, so any hole found from now on stays open.
Deactivate and delete it once you have a replacement (Plugins → Deactivate → Delete). Deleting removes its files; deactivating alone leaves them on the server.
If you ran a vulnerable version and something looks off (spam pages, strange admins, redirects), run the free scan, or have us clean it: Emergency Cleanup, $499.

With WP-CLI, once you have a replacement: wp plugin deactivate backstage && wp plugin delete backstage

Check your version

Known vulnerabilities

1 on record, newest first. “Affected” is the version range the source gives; “fixed in” is the version the source names, or (marked *) the first wordpress.org release after the last affected version. 1 record(s) do not state which versions are affected.

high 7.5 CVE-2026-9842 · published 2026-07-08

Privilege escalation in Backstage (1.4.2 and older)

Affected: 1.4.2 and older
Fixed in: unknown
Access needed (per CVSS): No login needed
Range from: CVE record (the advisory publisher) · score by Wordfence

Details from the advisory

The Backstage - Customizer Demo Access plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 1.4.2. This is due to the plugin assigning the `manage_options` capability to the `backstage_customizer_user` demo role, which is more permissive than necessary for Customizer-only demo access. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to navigate beyond the Customizer and update arbitrary WordPress options such as `default_role`, leading to privilege escalation.

NVD CVE-2026-9842 Wordfence advisory Plugin source

Recent activity

2026-06-29 — closed on wordpress.org (Security Issue).
2026-07-08 — Privilege escalation disclosed (CVE-2026-9842), fix version not stated.

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Browse vulnerabilities

Types found in this plugin: Privilege escalation (1)

Where this data comes from

Version, last update, installs, closure: wordpress.org/plugins/backstage (Plugins API), fetched 2026-11-04.
Vulnerabilities: NIST National Vulnerability Database (NVD), checked 2026-11-04. This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.
Each record links to its CVE page and to the original advisory (Wordfence, Patchstack or WPScan) where there is one. We only list a CVE here when its references or its advisory name this exact plugin, so a few real issues may be missing; none should be about a different plugin. Spot an error? Email Daniel.

Badge for your site or docs (states facts with a date, not a verdict):

<a href="https://laskyr.com/plugins/backstage"><img src="https://laskyr.com/plugins/backstage/badge.svg" alt="Backstage vulnerability status"></a>

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