WordPress through 6.1.1 depends on unpredictable client visits to cause wp-cron.php…
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Adjacent network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
WordPress through 6.1.1 depends on unpredictable client visits to cause wp-cron.php execution and the resulting security updates, and the source code describes "the scenario where a site may not receive enough visits to execute scheduled tasks in a timely manner," but neither the installation guide nor the security guide mentions this default behavior, or alerts the user about security risks on installations with very few visits.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Vendor assessments
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-22622
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-pmh6-cq54-943m
References
Advisory 6
- https://www.tenable.com/plugins/was/113449
- https://github.com/WordPress/WordPress/blob/dca7b5204b5fea54e6d1774689777b359a9222ab/wp-cron.php#L5-L8
- https://developer.wordpress.org/plugins/cron/
- https://wordpress.org/about/security/
- https://wordpress.org/support/article/how-to-install-wordpress/
- https://patchstack.com/articles/solving-unpredictable-wp-cron-problems-addressing-cve-2023-22622/
More Wordpress vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-45010 WordPress < 7.0.2 - REST API batch-route confusion and SQL injection issue leading to Remote Code Execution KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2016-08118 The mailSend function in the isMail transport in PHPMailer before 5.2.18 might allow… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-83466 Predictable staging paths let attackers run code in WordPress Core KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
- TI-2026-59973 An unauthenticated attacker can make `get_page_template()` page-template resolution… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
- TI-2016-08129 The isMail transport in PHPMailer before 5.2.20 might allow remote attackers to pass… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-42844 WordPress < 7.0.2 - Facilitated SQL Injection via author__not_in in WP_Query KEVCVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.9
Sources
- CVE-2023-22622 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-22622 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-pmh6-cq54-943m · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2023-22622 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences