CVE-2023-6989

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

9.8 Critical

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.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector: Network
Complexity: Low
Privileges needed: None
User interaction: None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: High

Exploit likelihood

56.6%Up 56.5 points since Feb 8, 2024

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 9.8

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

Record: CVE-2023-6989
CVSS 3.1: 9.8 CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness: CWE-98
Updated: 2026-11-02

EUVDEUVD-2023-59181 9.8

Record: EUVD-2023-59181
CVSS 3.1: 9.8 CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-72xj-cfw6-3c4q 9.8

The Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking & Intrusion Prevention Security plugin for WordPress is...

Record: GHSA-72xj-cfw6-3c4q
CVSS 3.1: 9.8 CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness: CWE-22, CWE-98
Updated: 2026-11-02

NVD 9.8

Record: CVE-2023-6989
CVSS 3.1: 9.8 CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness: CWE-98, CWE-22
Updated: 2026-11-02

Affected products

Public exploits

Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.

Public exploits
Source	Link	Date
Nuclei	Shield Security WP Plugin <= 18.5.9 - Local File Inclusion

History

History
Recorded	Changed	Sources
Nov 2, 2026	first indexed	CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, Nuclei, NVD

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2023-6989 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.8) in Getshieldsecurity Shield Security, published February 5, 2024. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 56.6%, the 99th percentile. No source names a fixed version.