CVE-2026-110901 Overview
CVE-2026-110901 is an Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR) vulnerability in the WPMU DEV SmartCrawl SEO plugin for WordPress. The flaw affects all versions of smartcrawl-seo up to and including 3.16.4. It stems from an Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key weakness classified as [CWE-639].
Authenticated users with low-level privileges can manipulate object identifiers to access or modify resources belonging to other users. The vulnerability requires network access and low privileges, but no user interaction.
Critical Impact
Low-privileged authenticated attackers can bypass access controls to read and alter SEO configuration data they should not reach, undermining content integrity and confidentiality in multi-user WordPress sites.
Affected Products
- WPMU DEV SmartCrawl (smartcrawl-seo) WordPress plugin
- All versions from n/a through 3.16.4
- WordPress sites running vulnerable SmartCrawl releases
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-10-16 - CVE-2026-110901 published to NVD
- 2026-10-16 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-110901
Vulnerability Analysis
SmartCrawl exposes functionality that accepts a user-controlled identifier to reference backend objects such as SEO configurations, redirects, or metadata records. The plugin fails to verify that the requesting user owns or has permission to access the referenced object. An attacker supplies an identifier belonging to another user and the plugin returns or modifies the target resource.
The weakness falls under Insecure Direct Object Reference, a subclass of broken access control. SmartCrawl's authorization logic validates that the caller is authenticated but does not enforce per-object permission checks. This gap allows horizontal privilege escalation across accounts within the same WordPress installation.
Exploitation requires valid credentials on the target site. Any role with minimal access to SmartCrawl endpoints, including Contributor or Subscriber in some configurations, can issue the crafted request.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing authorization verification on object-level requests. The plugin trusts identifiers supplied in request parameters without cross-referencing them against the current user's permissions or ownership metadata. Developers implemented authentication gates but omitted the authorization layer required by [CWE-639].
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based through standard HTTP requests to the WordPress admin-ajax or REST endpoints exposed by SmartCrawl. The attacker authenticates with a low-privilege account, enumerates object identifiers, and submits requests referencing resources owned by higher-privileged users. See the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for additional technical context.
Detect Identity Attacks the Moment Authentication Fails
Singularity™ Identity surfaces credential misuse, lateral movement, and privilege escalation in real time, so you can contain the breach before it spreads.
Stop Identity AttacksDetection Methods for CVE-2026-110901
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected modifications to SEO metadata, redirects, or SmartCrawl configuration entries authored by low-privilege accounts
- WordPress audit log entries showing SmartCrawl AJAX or REST calls from Contributor or Subscriber roles
- Repeated requests with sequentially incremented object identifiers in SmartCrawl endpoints
Detection Strategies
- Review WordPress access logs for admin-ajax.php and /wp-json/smartcrawl/ requests containing numeric identifier parameters
- Correlate the authenticated user ID in session data against the owner ID of the referenced SmartCrawl object
- Flag any SmartCrawl plugin version at or below 3.16.4 through automated plugin inventory scans
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable WordPress activity logging plugins to capture metadata changes with user attribution
- Alert on bulk object access patterns from a single low-privilege session
- Monitor for privilege-sensitive SmartCrawl API calls originating from unexpected user roles
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-110901
Immediate Actions Required
- Audit the installed version of smartcrawl-seo across all WordPress properties and identify instances at or below 3.16.4
- Restrict SmartCrawl administrative capabilities to trusted roles until a patched version is deployed
- Review recent SmartCrawl configuration changes for signs of unauthorized modification
Patch Information
As of the NVD publication date, the vendor advisory indicates the vulnerability affects SmartCrawl through version 3.16.4. Administrators should consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report and the WPMU DEV changelog for the fixed release and upgrade immediately once available.
Workarounds
- Temporarily disable the SmartCrawl plugin on multi-author sites where low-privilege accounts cannot be fully trusted
- Apply a Web Application Firewall rule to block requests to SmartCrawl endpoints from non-administrative user sessions
- Enforce the principle of least privilege by auditing WordPress user roles and removing unnecessary accounts
# Identify vulnerable SmartCrawl installations via WP-CLI
wp plugin list --name=smartcrawl-seo --fields=name,status,version
# Deactivate the plugin pending a vendor patch
wp plugin deactivate smartcrawl-seo
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
