CVE-2026-15252
Deferred Deferred - Pending Action

Unauthorized Google Indexing API Access in Search Atlas SEO WordPress Plugin

Publication date: 2026-07-30

Last updated on: 2026-07-30

Assigner: WPScan

Description
The Search Atlas SEO WordPress plugin before 2.6.12 does not perform a capability or nonce check in one of its AJAX handlers, allowing any authenticated user such as a Subscriber to invoke the site's Google Indexing API integration, submitting or removing the site's URLs from Google's index and consuming its indexing quota.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-07-30
Last Modified
2026-07-30
Generated
2026-08-19
AI Q&A
2026-07-30
EPSS Evaluated
2026-08-18
NVD
CVE-2026-15252
EUVD
EUVD-2026-50998

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
search_atlas seo to 2.6.12 (exc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-862 The product does not perform an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action.

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Executive Summary

The Search Atlas SEO WordPress plugin before version 2.6.12 has a flaw where an AJAX handler lacks capability or nonce checks. This allows any authenticated user, including low-privilege Subscribers, to interact with the Google Indexing API integration without proper authorization.

Detection Guidance

Check the installed version of the Search Atlas SEO plugin. If it is below 2.6.12, the vulnerability is likely present. Use WordPress admin dashboard or run a command like 'wp plugin list' if using WP-CLI to verify the version.

Impact Analysis

An attacker with a Subscriber account could submit or remove URLs from Google's index using the site's credentials, potentially consuming the site's indexing quota. This could disrupt search visibility and affect site traffic.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could potentially impact compliance with GDPR and HIPAA by allowing unauthorized users to manipulate website indexing through Google's API. Unauthorized URL submissions or removals might expose sensitive data or disrupt access to critical pages, which could violate data protection requirements under GDPR or HIPAA if such actions lead to unauthorized data exposure or service disruptions.

Mitigation Strategies

Update the Search Atlas SEO plugin to version 2.6.12 or later immediately. Remove unnecessary user roles like Subscriber if they are not required, as this vulnerability affects any authenticated user.

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