Description
The Total Upkeep WordPress plugin before 1.17.3 does not adequately protect the secret that authorizes its backup-restore functionality and exposes it to unauthenticated users, allowing them to disclose sensitive backup information and to force a full site restore that overwrites the live site's files and database.
Published: 2026-08-12
Score: n/a
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
AI Analysis

Impact

The Total Upkeep WordPress plugin before version 1.17.3 contains a flaw that fails to protect the secret governing its backup‑restore feature. Because the secret is exposed to unauthenticated users, an attacker can reveal the contents of backup archives, potentially exposing highly confidential data. Additionally, the attacker can trigger a forced full site restore, which overwrites the current website files and database, leading to a denial‑of‑service effect. The vulnerability stems from a predictable or publicly discoverable cron_secret and a lack of authentication enforcement for the restore operation, classified as a combination of data‑exposure and authorization bypass weaknesses.

Affected Systems

The affected product is the Total Upkeep plugin used within WordPress installations. Any site running Total Upkeep prior to version 1.17.3 is vulnerable. The plugin is listed as Unknown:Total Upkeep in CNA reports and there are no further vendor or product details available.

Risk and Exploitability

The CVSS score is not provided in the available data, but the vulnerability permits unauthenticated access to sensitive backup data and allows arbitrary site restoration, which constitute high‑impact consequences. Because no EPSS score is publicly available and the issue is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog, the current exploitation probability is unclear. However, the attack vector is likely through a direct HTTP request to the plugin’s restore endpoint, requiring no user credentials. The predictable cron_secret makes the attack trivial once the endpoint is discovered, suggesting that if the secret is exposed, the exploit can be carried out with minimal effort.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on August 12, 2026 at 13:05 UTC.

Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

OpenCVE Recommended Actions

  • Upgrade the Total Upkeep plugin to version 1.17.3 or newer
  • Configure the plugin to restrict restore operations to authenticated users only, or disable the restore endpoint if upgrading is not feasible
  • Regenerate the cron_secret value and ensure no legacy secrets remain accessible; additionally, secure backup storage and remove any publicly accessible backup files

Generated by OpenCVE AI on August 12, 2026 at 13:05 UTC.

Tracking

Sign in to view the affected projects.

Advisories

No advisories yet.

History

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 13:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-200
CWE-284

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 06:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description The Total Upkeep WordPress plugin before 1.17.3 does not adequately protect the secret that authorizes its backup-restore functionality and exposes it to unauthenticated users, allowing them to disclose sensitive backup information and to force a full site restore that overwrites the live site's files and database.
Title Total Upkeep (BoldGrid Backup) < 1.17.3 - Unauthenticated Sensitive Data Disclosure and Forced Site Restore via Predictable cron_secret (regression of CVE-2020-36848)
References

Subscriptions

No data.

cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: WPScan

Published:

Updated: 2026-08-12T06:00:14.995Z

Reserved: 2026-07-20T07:28:57.344Z

Link: CVE-2026-16253

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-08-12T06:18:55.103

Modified: 2026-08-12T06:18:55.103

Link: CVE-2026-16253

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-08-12T13:15:04Z

Weaknesses
  • CWE-200

    Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor

  • CWE-284

    Improper Access Control