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Fencer Vulns
critical 9.8

CVE-2023-6989 in the critical feed json

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

published 2024-02-05 2 y ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also EUVD-2023-59181

cvss
9.8
version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev
Not listed
not in CISA's catalog
epss
56.6%
EPSS 56.6% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 99%
public exploits
0
none known, plus a Nuclei check

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.

Patch / fix

  • getshieldsecurity shield_security 18.5.10

CISA SSVC

Exploitation
Proof of concept is public
Automatable
yes
Technical impact
total
Assessed
2 y ago

Exploit prediction

56.57% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 99% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

Exploits and checks

  • Nuclei template Shield Security WP Plugin <= 18.5.9 - Local File Inclusion nuclei detection template

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
CNA 3.1 9.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD 3.1 9.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected products

  • paultgoodchild Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users, and Prevents Security Breaches

Classification

Weakness
  • CWE-98 Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program
  • CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory
Technology feeds

References

Sources

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.