CVE-2026-8681Network attack vector

Unauthenticated configuration reset via unchecked POST parameter

Published May 16, 2026 · Updated May 16, 2026

Missing authorization in Essential Chat Support 1.0.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to reset all plugin settings via a POST request. The settings registration code treats ecs_reset_settings=1 as sufficient to invoke the reset routine without authentication, nonce, or capability checks. No account or user interaction is required; the consequence is an integrity-only overwrite of general, display, CSS, and WooCommerce-tab configuration with defaults.

CVSS severity5.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.32%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Missing authorization in Essential Chat Support 1.0.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to reset all plugin settings via a POST request. The settings registration code treats ecs_reset_settings=1 as sufficient to invoke the reset routine without authentication, nonce, or capability checks. No account or user interaction is required; the consequence is an integrity-only overwrite of general, display, CSS, and WooCommerce-tab configuration with defaults.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-8681
Published
May 16, 2026
Updated
May 16, 2026
Vendor
Essential Plugin
Product
Essential Chat Support
Classifications
CWE-862, T1565.001
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 16, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 16, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <=1.0.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Essential Plugin · Essential Chat Supportversion=0 <=1.0.1

Published CVSS scores

5.3WordfenceCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-862Missing Authorization
T1565.001Stored Data Manipulation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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