CVE-2026-5821: The Image Optimizer plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion in versions up to
Source GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 8.1 High.
Data as of 28 Oct 2026, 05:11 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.6% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 51% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 2 Jul 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| elemntorImage Optimizer – Compress Images and Convert to WebP or AVIF | Affected
| Fixed in– |
AI-suggested
Until a fix is available, restrict Author-level user permissions where possible and monitor for suspicious file deletion activities related to the plugin.
Description
The Image Optimizer plugin for WordPress versions up to and including 1.7.4 contains a vulnerability that allows authenticated users with Author-level access to delete arbitrary files on the server. This occurs because the plugin does not properly validate file paths before deletion, trusting user-controlled metadata. Exploitation can lead to denial of service, data loss, or security degradation.
References
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-5821 (opens in a new tab)
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/image-optimization/tags/1.7.3/classes/image/image-backup.php (opens in a new tab)
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/image-optimization/tags/1.7.3/classes/image/image-meta.php (opens in a new tab)
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/image-optimization/tags/1.7.3/modules/backups/components/handle-backups-removing.php (opens in a new tab)
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/image-optimization/trunk/classes/image/image-backup.php (opens in a new tab)
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/image-optimization/trunk/classes/image/image-meta.php (opens in a new tab)
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/image-optimization/trunk/modules/backups/components/handle-backups-removing.php (opens in a new tab)
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?sfp_email=&sfph_mail=&reponame=&old=3557772%40image-optimization&new=3557772%40image-optimization&sfp_email=&sfph_mail= (opens in a new tab)
- research.cleantalk.org/cve-2026-5821 (opens in a new tab)
- wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/a1a00374-e9d6-46f9-a28c-cb7768505787?source=cve (opens in a new tab)