Unauthenticated shortcode execution in Ad Inserter WordPress plugin
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · Low · None
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-94.
Summary
The Ad Inserter (Ad Manager & AdSense Ads) plugin for WordPress by spacetime contains a code injection flaw in all versions up to and including 2.8.19 (CWE-94). The plugin passes an unvalidated value to do_shortcode, so unauthenticated attackers can execute arbitrary shortcodes. Exploitation requires an administrator to have configured an ad block with a dynamic tag such as {title} and display enabled on search pages.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-31
Description from the CNA
The The Ad Inserter – Ad Manager & AdSense Ads plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary shortcode execution in all versions up to, and including, 2.8.19 This is due to the software allowing users to execute an action that does not properly validate a value before running do_shortcode. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary shortcodes. Exploitation requires an administrator to have configured an ad block containing a dynamic tag such as {title}, {tag}, {category}, or {smart-tag} with display enabled on search pages, which is a normal and documented plugin configuration.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
The sources list no fixed version for Ad Inserter (Ad Manager & AdSense Ads).
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-31
Timeline
- 2026-10-30 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-102905
- 2026-10-30 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-30 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
- 2026-10-30 Alias added: GHSA-76hf-r86r-7ch3
References
Other 5
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/a36f813c-97c5-466d-92e0-7341c12b5a46?source=cve
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/ad-inserter/tags/2.8.19/class.php#L3297
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/ad-inserter/tags/2.8.19/ad-inserter.php#L12974
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/ad-inserter/tags/2.8.19/ad-inserter.php#L13142
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3770281/ad-inserter/trunk/ad-inserter.php
More spacetime vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-83300 Cross-site scripting in WordPress Ad Inserter plugin CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.1
- TI-2026-63944 WordPress Ad Inserter plugin <= 2.8.18 - Cross Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.1
- TI-2024-32841 WordPress Ad Inserter plugin <= 2.7.37 - Reflected Cross Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.1
- TI-2026-10327 Missing authorization in spacetime Ad Inserter – Ad Manager & AdSense Ads CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.3
- TI-2026-10326 Ad Inserter <= 2.8.16 - Missing Authorization to Block Visibility Bypass via ai_ajax CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.3
- TI-2026-41517 WordPress Ad Inserter plugin <= 2.8.11 - Cross Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
Sources
- CVE-2026-102905 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-102905 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-76hf-r86r-7ch3 · 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