CVE-2026-65539 in Kwayy HTML Sitemap Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/23/2026
Unauthenticated Cross Site Request Forgery (CSRF) in Kwayy HTML Sitemap <= 4.0 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/23/2026
Cross site request forgery vulnerabilities represent a significant threat to web application security, particularly when they affect content management systems and plugins that handle user data or administrative functions. The identified vulnerability in Kwayy HTML Sitemap plugin affects versions 4.0 and below, creating an unauthenticated attack vector that could allow malicious actors to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users who visit compromised pages. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross site request forgery conditions where applications fail to validate the origin of requests.
The technical flaw in this plugin stems from insufficient validation mechanisms that should verify the authenticity of incoming requests and ensure they originate from legitimate sources within the application's domain. Without proper token validation or referer checking, an attacker can craft malicious requests that appear to come from authenticated users, exploiting the trust relationship between the web application and its users. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates without requiring authentication, meaning any visitor to a compromised website could potentially trigger unauthorized actions through crafted requests.
In practical operational terms, this CSRF vulnerability could enable attackers to perform various malicious activities such as modifying sitemap configurations, deleting content, or altering plugin settings that may affect site functionality and security posture. The impact extends beyond simple data manipulation as it could potentially allow attackers to escalate privileges or create persistent backdoors within the affected WordPress installation. Given that sitemap plugins typically handle content indexing and URL mapping, unauthorized modifications could disrupt site navigation and potentially expose sensitive information through altered URL structures.
The attack surface for this vulnerability is particularly concerning given the widespread use of WordPress platforms and their associated plugins. Attackers could leverage this weakness by embedding malicious links in forum posts, social media content, or email campaigns that when clicked by unsuspecting users trigger unauthorized actions within the target site. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.002 which involves social engineering through spearphishing with links and T1071.001 which covers application layer protocol usage for command and control communications.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper CSRF protection mechanisms including anti-forgery tokens that are generated per user session and validated on each request, along with referer header checks to ensure requests originate from legitimate sources within the application domain. Plugin developers should also implement nonce validation for all administrative actions and ensure that sensitive operations require proper authentication verification. Organizations using affected versions of Kwayy HTML Sitemap should immediately upgrade to patched versions while implementing additional security monitoring to detect suspicious patterns in plugin usage or unauthorized configuration changes that could indicate exploitation attempts.
Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments across their WordPress installations to identify other plugins that may exhibit similar CSRF vulnerabilities, particularly those handling user data or administrative functions. The implementation of web application firewalls and request validation rules can provide additional layers of protection against such attacks while maintaining proper logging and monitoring capabilities to detect potential exploitation attempts. Regular security updates and patch management processes should be prioritized to prevent the exploitation of known vulnerabilities in third-party components that form part of the overall web application attack surface.