Shortcode execution via unchecked comment URL expansion
Published Oct 16, 2026 · Updated Oct 16, 2026
Shortcode injection in Broken Link Checker 2.4.14.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to run shortcodes through comments. Its link and image parsers pass unvalidated href or src values to do_shortcode. Exploitation requires approval through normal comment moderation, after which WP-Cron runs the shortcode automatically; consequences depend on the available shortcode handlers.
Summary
What happened
Shortcode injection in Broken Link Checker 2.4.14.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to run shortcodes through comments. Its link and image parsers pass unvalidated href or src values to do_shortcode. Exploitation requires approval through normal comment moderation, after which WP-Cron runs the shortcode automatically; consequences depend on the available shortcode handlers.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-96562
- Published
- Oct 16, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 16, 2026
- Vendor
- WPMU DEV
- Product
- Broken Link Checker
- Classifications
- CWE-94, T1190
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 16, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 16, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=0 <=2.4.14.1
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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