CVE-2026-66571 in Asset CleanUp Page Speed Booster Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/17/2026
Unauthenticated Cross Site Request Forgery (CSRF) in Asset CleanUp: Page Speed Booster <= 1.4.0.5 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/17/2026
The vulnerability identified as an unauthenticated Cross-Site Request Forgery within the Asset CleanUp plugin for WordPress, specifically affecting versions up to and including 1.4.0.5, represents a significant security flaw that allows attackers to manipulate authenticated users into performing unintended actions on behalf of their accounts without their knowledge or consent. This type of attack exploits the trust that a web application has in the browser of an authorized user, leveraging the fact that many browsers automatically include credentials such as session cookies with every request made to the originating domain. In this specific context, the lack of proper anti-CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms within the plugin's administrative endpoints means that any logged-in administrator can be tricked into executing malicious requests simply by visiting a crafted webpage controlled by an attacker.
From a technical perspective, the core issue lies in the absence of synchronization token patterns required to distinguish legitimate user-initiated actions from forged ones submitted via cross-site scripts or links. When an administrator is authenticated and browsing the web, their browser retains active session cookies for the WordPress site. If the vulnerable endpoints do not verify that the request originated from a valid form submission on the same domain with a unique, unpredictable token tied to that specific user's session, the server will process the maliciously crafted HTTP requests as if they were legitimate administrative commands. This flaw is particularly dangerous because it does not require any prior authentication by the attacker; instead, it relies entirely on social engineering or drive-by tactics to get an authenticated victim to trigger the exploit.
The operational impact of this vulnerability can be severe depending on what actions are exposed through these unprotected endpoints within Asset CleanUp: Page Speed Booster. Attackers could potentially alter plugin settings, disable security features, inject malicious scripts into page headers or footers, or modify optimization configurations that degrade site performance and integrity. In some cases, such vulnerabilities allow for full account takeover if the administrative capabilities include user management functions, allowing the attacker to create new administrator accounts with persistent access. This compromises not only the confidentiality of sensitive data stored on the website but also its availability and integrity, potentially leading to defacement, malware distribution to visitors, or further exploitation of other systems connected to the compromised WordPress installation.
This vulnerability aligns closely with CWE-352, which describes Cross-Site Request Forgery as a weakness where an attacker causes a user to submit a request that they did not intend to submit due to insufficient validation mechanisms. Furthermore, in terms of offensive security frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK, this behavior maps to techniques involving browser-based attacks such as T1556, which covers credential hijacking and session manipulation through phishing or drive-by methods. The unauthenticated nature of the exploit means it falls under initial access vectors that do not require direct network penetration but rather leverage human interaction and trust in web interfaces.
To mitigate this risk, immediate action is required to update the Asset CleanUp plugin to a version newer than 1.4.0.5 where these security flaws have been addressed by implementing robust anti-CSRF protections such as nonce verification for all state-changing operations. Administrators should also ensure that their WordPress installations are fully patched and consider employing additional layers of defense, including Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution origins and using browser extensions or WAF rules that detect anomalous request patterns. Regular security audits and monitoring of administrative activity logs can help in early detection of any unauthorized changes resulting from successful CSRF attacks before they lead to broader compromise of the web infrastructure.