Spam protection, Honeypot, Anti-Spam by CleanTalk <= 6.71 - Authorization Bypass via…
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
The Spam protection, Anti-Spam, FireWall by CleanTalk plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized Arbitrary Plugin Installation due to an authorization bypass via reverse DNS (PTR record) spoofing on the 'checkWithoutToken' function in all versions up to, and including, 6.71. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to install and activate arbitrary plugins which can be leveraged to achieve remote code execution if another vulnerable plugin is installed and activated. Note: This is only exploitable on sites with an invalid API key.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-1490
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-r6q3-r9p8-6prh
References
Other 4
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/cb603be6-4a12-49e1-b8cc-b2062eb97f16?source=cve
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/cleantalk-spam-protect/trunk/lib/Cleantalk/ApbctWP/RemoteCalls.php#L69
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/cleantalk-spam-protect/trunk/lib/Cleantalk/Common/Helper.php#L64
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3454488/cleantalk-spam-protect#file473
More cleantalk vulnerabilities
- TI-2022-03051 Anti-Spam by CleanTalk < 5.185.1 - Admin+ SQLi CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.2
- TI-2024-09765 Missing authorization in cleantalk Spam protection, Honeypot, Anti-Spam by CleanTalk CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2024-12407 Security & Malware scan by CleanTalk <= 2.149 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary File Upload CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-47264 WordPress Security & Malware scan by CleanTalk plugin <= 2.184 - SQL Injection vulnerability CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.3
- TI-2024-09993 Spam protection, Anti-Spam, FireWall by CleanTalk <= 6.44 - Authorization Bypass due to… CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
- TI-2020-18869 Security & Malware scan by CleanTalk <= 2.50 - Missing Authorization CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
Sources
- CVE-2026-1490 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-1490 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-r6q3-r9p8-6prh · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences