dbcve.org
Incorrect AuthorizationWeakness · CWE-863

CVE-2026-2712

MEDIUM · 5.4 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-04-10
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
60/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Remotely reachable Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
The WP-Optimize plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access of functionality due to missing capability checks in the `receive_heartbeat()` function in `includes/class-wp-optimize-heartbeat.php` in all versions up to, and including, 4.5.0. This is due to the Heartbeat handler directly invoking `Updraft_Smush_Manager_Commands` methods without verifying user capabilities, nonce tokens, or the allowed commands whitelist that the normal AJAX handler (`updraft_smush_ajax`) enforces. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to invoke admin-only Smush operations including reading log files (`get_smush_logs`), deleting all backup images (`clean_all_backup_images`), triggering bulk image processing (`process_bulk_smush`), and modifying Smush options (`update_smush_options`).

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

The WP-Optimize plugin's Heartbeat API handler (`receive_heartbeat()` in `class-wp-optimize-heartbeat.php`) bypasses standard AJAX security controls, directly invoking admin-only `Updraft_Smush_Manager_Commands` methods without capability checks, nonce validation, or whitelist enforcement. This allows any authenticated user with Subscriber-level access to execute privileged Smush operations including reading logs, deleting backups, triggering bulk processing, and modifying settings.

MitigationUpdate WP-Optimize to version 4.5.1 or later which adds proper capability checks. Until patched, consider disabling the Smush module or restricting user registration.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
Low
Availability
Low

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Check installed WP-Optimize version
    Navigate to WordPress admin > Plugins > Installed Plugins, locate WP-Optimize, and note the version number displayed. Alternatively, check the plugin header in wp-content/plugins/wp-optimize/class-wp-optimize-heartbeat.php
    Affected if Version is earlier than 4.5.1 (the patched release)
  2. Confirm Heartbeat API is accessible
    Verify the WordPress Heartbeat API is not disabled on the site. Check for heartbeat-related filters in theme or plugin code, or inspect the site for the /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?action=heartbeat endpoint responding normally
    Affected if Heartbeat API is enabled and responds to requests from authenticated users
  3. Identify subscriber-level users
    In WordPress admin, go to Users > All Users and review the role column for accounts with Subscriber role or higher (Contributor, Author, Editor, Administrator)
    Affected if Any user account exists with Subscriber role or higher, or user registration is enabled allowing new Subscriber registrations
  4. Verify Smush module status
    Check if the Smush functionality is active within WP-Optimize. Look in WP-Optimize settings for Smush or image optimization module, or inspect class-wp-optimize-heartbeat.php for calls to Updraft_Smush_Manager_Commands
    Affected if Smush module is enabled within the WP-Optimize plugin

User is affected if running WP-Optimize before version 4.5.1, the Heartbeat API is active, subscriber-level users exist, and the Smush module is enabled - allowing any authenticated user to invoke privileged Smush operations.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Update WP-Optimize to version 4.5.1 or later which adds proper capability checks. Until patched, consider disabling the Smush module or restricting user registration.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Latest WP-Optimize version (higher than 4.5.0)

  1. Log in to the WordPress admin dashboard
  2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins
  3. Locate the WP-Optimize plugin
  4. If an update is available, click 'Update Now' to install the latest version
  5. Alternatively, manually download the latest version from wordpress.org/plugins/wp-optimize/ and upload via Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin
  6. After updating, verify the version number in the plugins list reflects a version newer than 4.5.0
  7. Confirm that the class-wp-optimize-heartbeat.php file in includes/ has been updated with proper capability checks

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Have this fixed Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation3.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
8.0 hours of engineering $1,420
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An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,272.

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-2712 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

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What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data