CVE-2026-1070 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability identified in the Alex User Counter plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 6.0. The root cause is the absence of nonce validation in the alex_user_counter_function(), which is responsible for updating plugin settings. Nonce tokens are security measures used in WordPress to verify that requests to change state originate from legitimate users and not from malicious third parties. Without this validation, an attacker can craft a malicious link or webpage that, when visited by an authenticated administrator, triggers unauthorized changes to the plugin’s configuration. This attack vector requires no authentication on the attacker’s part but does require user interaction, specifically the administrator clicking a malicious link. The vulnerability impacts the integrity of the plugin’s settings but does not compromise confidentiality or availability. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3, indicating a medium severity level, with the vector string AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N meaning network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required, unchanged scope, no confidentiality or availability impact, and limited integrity impact. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, and no official patches have been published at the time of disclosure. The vulnerability was reserved on January 16, 2026, and published on January 24, 2026.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to the integrity of WordPress sites using the Alex User Counter plugin. Unauthorized changes to plugin settings could lead to misconfigurations, potentially affecting site functionality or enabling further attacks if combined with other vulnerabilities. While confidentiality and availability are not directly impacted, the integrity compromise could undermine trust in affected websites, especially for organizations relying on accurate user metrics or counters for business or operational decisions. Public-facing WordPress sites with multiple administrators are at higher risk, as attackers rely on tricking an administrator into clicking malicious links. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the widespread use of WordPress in Europe and the popularity of plugins like Alex User Counter increase the potential attack surface. Organizations in sectors such as media, e-commerce, and public services that use WordPress extensively could face reputational damage or operational disruptions if exploited.

1. Implement nonce validation in the alex_user_counter_function() to ensure that all state-changing requests are verified as legitimate and originate from authenticated users. 2. Restrict administrative access to trusted networks and use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the risk of compromised administrator accounts. 3. Educate WordPress administrators about phishing and social engineering tactics to prevent them from clicking on malicious links. 4. Monitor WordPress logs for unusual changes to plugin settings or unexpected administrative actions. 5. Temporarily disable or remove the Alex User Counter plugin if immediate patching is not possible, especially on high-risk or critical sites. 6. Keep WordPress core and all plugins updated to the latest versions, and subscribe to security advisories for timely patching. 7. Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) that can detect and block CSRF attack patterns or suspicious requests targeting administrative functions.