CVE-2026-1377 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability identified in the hu_chao imwptip plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 1.1. The vulnerability stems from the absence of nonce validation on the plugin's settings update functionality. Nonces are security tokens used in WordPress to verify that requests to change settings originate from legitimate users and not from malicious third parties. Without this validation, an attacker can craft a malicious request that, when executed by an authenticated site administrator (e.g., by clicking a link or visiting a malicious webpage), causes the plugin's settings to be altered without the administrator's consent. This attack vector does not require the attacker to be authenticated on the target site, but it does require user interaction from an administrator, making social engineering a key component of exploitation. The impact is limited to integrity, as unauthorized changes to plugin settings could degrade site security or functionality, but it does not directly expose confidential data or cause denial of service. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3, reflecting network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, but requiring user interaction and limited impact on integrity only. No public exploits or active exploitation in the wild have been reported as of the publication date. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-352, which covers CSRF issues where state-changing requests lack proper anti-CSRF tokens.

For European organizations, the primary impact is unauthorized modification of plugin settings, which could lead to weakened security configurations, exposure to further attacks, or disruption of website functionality. Since WordPress powers a significant portion of websites across Europe, including many small and medium enterprises, e-commerce platforms, and public sector sites, exploitation could undermine trust and operational stability. Although the vulnerability does not directly compromise data confidentiality or availability, altered settings might disable security features or introduce misconfigurations that facilitate subsequent attacks. Organizations relying on the hu_chao imwptip plugin should be aware that attackers can exploit this vulnerability remotely without authentication, provided they can convince an administrator to perform an action. This risk is heightened in environments where administrators have elevated privileges and where phishing or social engineering defenses are weak. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers often develop exploits after disclosure. The medium severity rating suggests a moderate but actionable risk, particularly for high-value targets or sites with sensitive data.

To mitigate CVE-2026-1377, organizations should first check for and apply any official patches or updates from the hu_chao plugin developer once available. In the absence of patches, administrators can implement manual nonce validation in the plugin code to ensure that settings update requests include valid anti-CSRF tokens. Restricting administrative access to trusted networks or VPNs can reduce exposure. Additionally, educating site administrators about the risks of clicking unsolicited links and implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for WordPress admin accounts can reduce the likelihood of successful social engineering. Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) can be configured to detect and block suspicious POST requests targeting the plugin’s settings endpoints. Regular audits of plugin configurations and monitoring for unexpected changes can help detect exploitation attempts early. Finally, organizations should consider disabling or replacing the imwptip plugin if it is not essential, to eliminate the attack surface.