CVE-2026-3570 in Smarter Analytics Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/21/2026
The Smarter Analytics plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access in all versions up to, and including, 2.0. This is due to missing authentication and capability checks on the configuration reset functionality in the global scope of smarter-analytics.php. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to reset all plugin configuration and delete all per-page/per-post analytics settings via the 'reset' parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/21/2026
The Smarter Analytics plugin for WordPress presents a critical security vulnerability that undermines the integrity and confidentiality of user data through improper access controls. This vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 2.0, creating a persistent risk for WordPress installations that utilize this plugin. The flaw manifests in the global scope of the smarter-analytics.php file where the configuration reset functionality lacks essential authentication and capability checks. This absence of proper validation mechanisms allows any remote attacker to exploit the system without requiring valid credentials or administrative privileges, fundamentally compromising the security posture of affected WordPress environments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from a fundamental failure in access control enforcement within the plugin's codebase. When an attacker sends a request containing the 'reset' parameter to the vulnerable endpoint, the system processes the configuration reset operation without verifying whether the requester possesses the necessary authorization level. This represents a classic authentication bypass vulnerability that aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems. The flaw operates at the application layer where the plugin fails to implement proper capability checks, allowing unauthenticated users to perform administrative actions that should be restricted to authorized administrators only.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data loss to encompass potential system compromise and unauthorized modification of analytics data. Attackers can exploit this weakness to reset all plugin configurations, effectively removing all per-page and per-post analytics settings that users have carefully configured. This capability enables malicious actors to disrupt analytics tracking, potentially causing data gaps that could mask other security incidents or hinder legitimate business operations. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate the analytics data, which could be used to influence business decisions or hide malicious activities within the system. From a security perspective, this represents a privilege escalation vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to perform actions typically restricted to authenticated administrators.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements. The most critical action is to update to the latest version of the Smarter Analytics plugin where the authentication and capability checks have been properly implemented. System administrators should also consider implementing network-level restrictions to limit access to plugin endpoints and monitor for suspicious activity patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following security best practices such as the principle of least privilege and proper input validation, which are fundamental concepts in both CWE and ATT&CK frameworks. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of all installed plugins to identify similar access control weaknesses and implement comprehensive monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized configuration changes in real-time.