tadrik Free store check

Plugin security / Smush

Smush vulnerability: is your WooCommerce store affected?

Smush has 2 serious security holes rated 7 or higher out of 10 that someone can use with no login or with only a customer account. The newest was published on 27 August 2026. Every one is fixed: update to 4.3.0 or newer.

Short answer: your store is affected if it runs Smush older than 4.3.0. Update to 4.3.0 or newer, on a copy of the store first if you can.

In our check of 3,600 live UK and US WooCommerce stores (31 October 2026 to 1 November 2026), 18 were running a version of Smush with a serious hole that already had a fix. How we checked.

The security holes

Newest first. Each one is published in a public security database and fixed in the version shown.

  1. Denial of service

    Someone could make the store stop responding.

    Score 7.5 (high)no login neededAffected: older than 4.3.0Fixed in 4.3.0Published 27 August 2026CVE-2026-81285

    Advisory: Unauthenticated Denial of Service Attack in Smush Image Compression and Optimization <= 4.2.0 versions.

1 older hole, published before 1 January 2023

  1. File access

    Someone could read files on your server they should never see.

    Score 7.5 (high)no login neededAffected: older than 2.7.6Fixed in 2.7.6Published 21 September 2017CVE-2017-15079

    Advisory: The Smush Image Compression and Optimization plugin before 2.7.6 for WordPress allows directory traversal.

How to check your version

  1. Log in to WordPress and open Plugins > Installed Plugins.
  2. Find Smush. The version number is under its name. If it is lower than 4.3.0, your store is affected.
  3. No login to hand? Open https://yourstore.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-smushit/readme.txt in a browser, with your own address in place of yourstore.com, and read the Stable tag line. Some hosts block this file; then use step 1.

How to fix it

  1. Make a backup, or better, a staging copy of the store (most hosts have a one-click staging button).
  2. On the copy, update Smush to 4.3.0 or newer: Dashboard > Updates, or Update now on the Plugins page.
  3. If no update shows, it may be a paid version whose licence has run out: download the new version from the seller's site and upload it.
  4. Place a test order on the copy: add to cart, check out, pay with a test method. Check the pages that use Smush.
  5. If everything works, make the same update on the live store and place one more test order.
  6. If you no longer use Smush, delete it instead of leaving it deactivated.

Not sure, or no time?

Get a free check of your store: we look at its public pages for plugins with known holes, and reply within one working day. Or we fix it for you: we update your store on a copy, place a test order, and only then change the live store, for a fixed £99 / $119.

Free store check Fix it for me on a copy

Questions

Which Smush version fixes it?
Version 4.3.0 or newer fixes all 2 issues on this page.
How do I know if my store is affected?
Your store is affected if it runs Smush older than 4.3.0. In WordPress, open Plugins and read the version under Smush. Without logging in, open yourstore.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-smushit/readme.txt and read the Stable tag line.
I don't use Smush any more. Is a deactivated copy safe?
Deactivating it lowers the risk but leaves the old code on your server. If you don't use it, delete it; if you do, update it.
Can someone fix it for me?
Yes. We update the store on a copy first, place a test order, and only then make the same change on the live store, for a fixed price.

Vulnerability data: WPVulnerability (wpvulnerability.net, CC0), which links each entry to its CVE or advisory. Store numbers: Tadrik's own checks of public pages, aggregates only. Page updated 3 November 2026.