Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking & Intrusion Prevention Security <= 18.5.9 - Unauthenticated Local File Inclusion
Priority HIGH 82CWE-98Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-98.
Summary
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.
Why it matters now
Exploitation Proof of concept CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.56567 99th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| paultgoodchild | Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users, and Prevents Security Breaches | up to 18.5.9 | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users, and Prevents Security Breaches Vendorpaultgoodchild Affected up to 18.5.9 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:getshieldsecurity:shield_security:*:*:*:*:*:wordpress:*:* | before 18.5.10 | Vulnerable | Getshieldsecurity |
- cpe:2.3:a:getshieldsecurity:shield_security:*:*:*:*:*:wordpress:*:* Versions before 18.5.10 Vulnerable ·Getshieldsecurity
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-6989
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-72xj-cfw6-3c4q
References
More paultgoodchild vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-83515 Stored cross-site scripting in Shield Security via request path CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.2
- TI-2026-00509 Shield Security <= 21.0.8 - Cross-Site Request Forgery to SQL Injection CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
- TI-2026-00363 Shield Security <= 21.0.8 - Unauthenticated Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via 'message' Parameter CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.1
- TI-2025-14019 Shield Security <= 21.0.9 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) Insecure Direct Object Reference to Disable Google Authenticator CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.3
- TI-2025-13178 Missing authorization in paultgoodchild Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users, and Prevents… CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.3
- TI-2024-04046 Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking & Intrusion Prevention Security <= 19.1.13 - Cross-Site Request Forgery CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.3
Sources
- CVE-2023-6989 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-6989 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-72xj-cfw6-3c4q · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences