# CVE-2026-6235: Sendmachine for WordPress <= 1.0.20 - Unauthenticated SMTP Hijack to Privilege Escalation via manage_admin_requests

> Unauthenticated attackers can overwrite SMTP settings to intercept outbound emails, including password resets, leading to account takeover.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 22 Apr 2026
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4x86-c4g3-px96

## What is CVE-2026-6235?

CVE-2026-6235 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in Sendmachine for WordPress, published on 22 Apr 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Sendmachine for WordPress plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to authorization bypass via the 'manage_admin_requests' function in all versions up to, and including, 1.0.20. This is due to the plugin not properly verifying that a user is authorized to perform an action. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to overwrite the plugin's SMTP configuration, which can be leveraged to intercept all outbound emails from the site (including password reset emails).

Weakness: CWE-862 (Missing Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-6235?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-6235?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-6235 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-6235 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-6235 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-6235 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-6235 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in Sendmachine for WordPress, published on 22 Apr 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-6235 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Sendmachine for WordPress. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-6235/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-6235/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-6235
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-6235
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-6235

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-6235/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.