CVE-2023-6989 CRITICAL

CVE-2023-6989: Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking & Intrusion Prevention Security <= 18.5.9 - Unauthenticated Local File Inclusion

Vendor Paultgoodchild
Product Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users, and Prevents Security Breaches
Weakness CWE-98 · PHP file inclusion
Published February 5, 2024
Last update April 8, 2026
View on NVD All CVEs

CVSS base score

9.8/10
Attack vector Network
Attack complexity Low
Privileges required None
User interaction None
Confidentiality High
Integrity High

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

What the vulnerability does

01Description

The Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking & Intrusion Prevention Security plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Local File Inclusion in all versions up to, and including, 18.5.9 via the render_action_template parameter. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attacker to include and execute PHP files on the server, allowing the execution of any PHP code in those files.

Key dates

02Disclosure timeline

February 5, 2024 CVE published
April 8, 2026 Record updated