Critical WordPress Plugin Vulnerability Enables Admin Account Takeovers: What Site Owners Need to Know
You manage a WordPress site, there’s an urgent security issue you need to be aware of. A severe vulnerability was recently discovered in the widely used Post SMTP plugin — and hackers are already exploiting it to break into websites and take over administrator accounts.
In this article, we’ll walk through what happened, why it matters, and what you should do right now to protect your site.
What Is Post SMTP, and Why Do So Many Sites Use It?
Post SMTP is a popular plugin that helps WordPress websites send emails more reliably. Because WordPress’s built-in email function can be inconsistent, more than 400,000 site owners have turned to Post SMTP as their go-to email solution.
But large adoption also means a bigger target. When a plugin like this contains a vulnerability, hackers rush to take advantage — and that’s exactly what’s happening now.
What Went Wrong?
A critical security flaw (CVE-2025-11833) was found in Post SMTP versions 3.6.0 and below. The issue? The plugin’s email logs were not properly protected, allowing anyone — even someone not logged into the site — to access them.
That’s a big problem because these logs often contain:
· Password reset emails
· Password reset links
· Sensitive messages generated by your website
With access to a reset link, a hacker can simply click it, change the admin password, and walk right into the dashboard. No password guessing. No brute forcing. Just instant takeover.
Attackers Are Already Exploiting the Flaw
Security researchers started detecting live attacks on November 1st, meaning cybercriminals were ready and waiting for this vulnerability to be exposed.
Even though an update has been released, more than 200,000 websites are still running vulnerable versions — giving hackers a massive pool of targets.
Why This Vulnerability Is So Dangerous
This is not a small technical issue — this is a direct path to full site compromise.
Hackers don’t need:
· A username
· A password
· Special skills
· Special tools
They just need access to the logs — and from there, they can hijack the admin account in minutes.
Once inside, an attacker can:
· Upload malware
· Redirect your site’s traffic
· Steal customer data
· Deface your site
· Add new admin accounts
· Lock you out entirely
If you run an online store, membership site, or business website, the impact could be serious.
What You Should Do Right Now
If your website uses the Post SMTP plugin, take these steps immediately:
1. Update the Plugin
Make sure you’re running version 3.6.1 or newer. The patch that fixes this issue was released on October 29.
2. If You Can’t Update, Disable the Plugin
If the update causes errors, turn the plugin off until you can safely update. A disabled plugin is safer than a vulnerable one.
3. Review Your Website for Suspicious Activity
Watch for red flags like:
· New admin accounts
· Logins at strange times
· Unexpected changes to settings
· Unknown plugins or files
4. Change Your Passwords
In particular:
· The WordPress admin password
· Your hosting control panel password
· Any account connected to WordPress emails
5. Clear Old Email Logs
Even after updating, old logs may still contain sensitive information. Clean them out immediately.
Why This Keeps Happening
This isn’t the first time Post SMTP has had vulnerabilities involving email logs. Earlier this year, researchers found another flaw that exposed message content in a similar way.
It’s a reminder that:
· Even popular plugins can have security issues
· Email logs often store extremely sensitive information
· Keeping plugins updated is one of the simplest ways to avoid major security problems
When plugins are left outdated, they become easy targets.
Final Thoughts
If your website uses Post SMTP, this is the time to act. Vulnerabilities like this are exactly the kind cybercriminals love: easy to exploit, quick to execute, and capable of giving them total control of your site.
Updating the plugin takes seconds — recovering from a hacked site can take days or even weeks.
Ready to secure your site?
Contact TechFramework.com today and get immediate support.
