CVE-2026-8681 Missing authorization in Essential Chat Support
Unauthenticated attackers can reset Essential Chat Support plugin settings to defaults via a POST request, affecting WordPress sites using this plugin.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2026-8681?
CVE-2026-8681 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in essentialplugin Essential Chat Support, published on 16 May 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Official description
The Essential Chat Support plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to authorization bypass in all versions up to, and including, 1.0.1. 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 reset all plugin configuration settings — including general settings, display rules, custom CSS, and WooCommerce tab settings — to their defaults by sending a POST request with ecs_reset_settings=1.
Weakness: CWE-862
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-8681?
How do I fix CVE-2026-8681?
No fix has been published for CVE-2026-8681 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Upgrade, and check permissions on every request on the server, not only in the interface. More about Missing authorization.
Is CVE-2026-8681 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-8681 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-4fcc-vrwx-v754.