CVE-2017-20251
WordPress Insert PHP plugin versions before 3.3.1 contain a PHP code injection vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code by injecting malicious shortcodes through the WordPress REST API.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (0.56%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
WordPress Insert PHP plugin versions before 3.3.1 contain a PHP code injection vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code by injecting malicious shortcodes through the WordPress REST API. Attackers can send POST requests to the wp-json/wp/v2/posts endpoint with crafted content containing insert_php shortcodes to include and execute remote PHP files on the server.
- CVSS 4.0
- 9.3 CRITICALCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/M
- EPSS
- 0.56% probability · 46th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-94
- Source
- disclosure@vulncheck.com
EPSS 0.6% since 27 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.