---
id: "CVE-2026-120551"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-120551"]
title: "WP Compress WordPress plugin: authorization bypass lets attackers take over settings"
severity: "medium"
cvss: 5.3
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "package"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["package", "self-hosted", "wordpress", "wp-compress"]
not_affected_if: ["api-key-stored", "newer-version", "plugin-absent"]
published_at: "2026-11-03T05:18:32+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-11-03T05:48:53+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-11-03T05:49:59+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-120551", "first_seen_at": "2026-11-03T05:48:53+00:00"}]
---

# WP Compress WordPress plugin: authorization bypass lets attackers take over settings

WP Compress, a WordPress performance plugin, fails to check authorization on some actions, so an unauthenticated attacker can link the site to their own WP Compress account and overwrite its settings. The attacker can also obtain the shared API key, which lets them purge caches, delete files and invalidate the opcode cache on the site.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

- Check whether the WP Compress plugin is installed and its version is `7.22.01` or earlier in the WordPress plugins screen.
- Check whether a stored API key exists in the plugin settings; the flaw only applies when no api_key is stored (fresh installs or lite/free mode).

## Fix

- WP Compress plugin: unknown, the sources do not name a fixed version.

## Timeline

- 2026-11-03T05:48:53+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-120551

## From the sources

The WP Compress – Instant Performance & Speed Optimization plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to authorization bypass in all versions up to, and including, 7.22.01. This is due to the plugin not properly verifying that a user is authorized to perform an action. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to link the victim site to an attacker-controlled WP Compress account, overwrite plugin settings to an aggressive live-CDN preset, and gain the shared api_key that authenticates all nopriv HMAC-gated endpoints — enabling full control over cache purging, file deletion, opcode cache invalidation, and other privileged plugin operations. This vulnerability only affects fresh installations or lite/free-mode installs where no api_key is already stored, as the sole guard fails open when the stored key is absent.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_