WP-Optimize <= 4.5.2 — Authenticated (Author+) Arbitrary File Deletion via 'original-file' Post Meta
CVE-2026-7252Published · Updated Action summary
Affected: ≤4.5.2Update to 4.5.3 or newer
All remediation steps- Severity
- High8.1
- CVSS
- 8.1CVSS 3.1 · CNA (Wordfence)
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:HWhat does this vector mean?
AV:NAttack vector- Network
AC:LAttack complexity- Low
PR:LPrivileges required- Low
UI:NUser interaction- None
S:UScope- Unchanged
C:NConfidentiality- None
I:HIntegrity- High
A:HAvailability- High
- Weakness
- CWE-22 Path Traversal
- Required access
- Unknown
- Exploit prediction (EPSS)
- No score
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
On this page8
Am I affected?
WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance wp-optimize
- Affected≤ 4.5.2
- Patched in4.5.3
Update to 4.5.3 or newer.
You are affected if you run ≤ 4.5.2. Version 4.5.3 and later are not affected by this issue.
- Check your version: in wp-admin go to Plugins → Installed Plugins and read the version under WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance.
- No admin access? Run a passive check of your site. It reads public files only.
What to do
- Update to version 4.5.3, or a newer patched version
- Rotate administrator passwords and application secrets if the site ran a vulnerable version while publicly reachable.
- Watch WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance to get an email when the next vulnerability is published.
Advisory
Source description from Wordfence Intelligence, credited to lhking.
The WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion due to insufficient file path validation in the unscheduled_original_file_deletion function in all versions up to, and including, 4.5.2 This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with author-level access and above, to delete arbitrary files on the server, which can easily lead to remote code execution when the right file is deleted (such as wp-config.php). This is possible because 'original-file' is a public (non-protected) meta key — it does not begin with an underscore — allowing Authors to freely create or modify it on their own attachment posts via the standard Edit Media form or the REST API.
Exploits & references
Proof-of-concept & detection
No public proof-of-concept or detection template is known for this vulnerability.
Advisories & patches
- Advisorywordfence.com
Related CVEs
More in WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance
All 5| Severity | Vulnerability | CVE | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium5.4 | Missing Authorization to Authenticated (Subscriber+) Plugin Settings Update and Image Manipulation ≤4.5.0Update to 4.5.1 | CVE-2026-2712 | |
| Medium4.9 | Authenticated (Admin+) SQL Injection ≤4.1.1Update to 4.2.0 | CVE-2025-3951 | |
| Medium6.1 | Stored/Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via Third Party Library ≤2.4Update to 2.4.1 | CVE-2023-1119 | |
| Medium6.5 | Cross-Site Request Forgery ≤3.2.11Update to 3.2.12 | — |
- Medium5.4Missing Authorization to Authenticated (Subscriber+) Plugin Settings Update and Image Manipulation
≤4.5.0Update to 4.5.1
- Medium4.9Authenticated (Admin+) SQL Injection
≤4.1.1Update to 4.2.0
- Medium6.1Stored/Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via Third Party Library
≤2.4Update to 2.4.1
- Medium6.5Cross-Site Request Forgery
≤3.2.11Update to 3.2.12
Same weakness (Path Traversal)
All Path Traversal| Severity | Vulnerability | CVE | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| High7.2 | Unauthenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Comment User-Agent Header | CVE-2026-120688 | |
| Critical9.8 | Unauthenticated Arbitrary File Upload via File Upload via Public Form Submission | CVE-2026-125055 | |
| Critical9.8 | Unauthenticated PHP Object Injection to Remote Code Execution via 'form' Parameter | CVE-2026-119077 | |
| Medium5.3 | Unauthenticated Sensitive Information Exposure in 'search' Parameter | CVE-2026-121518 |
- High7.2Unauthenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Comment User-Agent Header
EZ SQL Reports Shortcode Widget and DB Backup
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- Critical9.8Unauthenticated Arbitrary File Upload via File Upload via Public Form Submission
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ELEX WordPress HelpDesk & Customer Ticketing System
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- Medium5.3Unauthenticated Sensitive Information Exposure in 'search' Parameter
Customer Reviews for WooCommerce
≤5.127.0Update to 5.128.0
Timeline
CVE published
Severity high, CVSS 8.1
Record last updated
Sources & licenses
Wordfence record- Vulnerability data
- Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. Licensed under the CC BY-SA 4.0.
- CVE® identifiers
- Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. Used under the CVE Program. CVE® is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation.
- CVSS / CWE
- National Vulnerability Database (NVD), shown unmodified. This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.
- VulnCrest content
- Summary, remediation guidance and page layout © VulnCrest. Not sourced from NVD.