CVE-2026-89274

CRITICAL CVSS 9.1 PoC Available

Published: 2026-09-19

Modified: 2026-09-19

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AI Threat Summary

CVE-2026-89274 is a critical vulnerability with a CVSS score of 9.1 affecting the target software. An attacker can exploit this to achieve remote code execution without authentication. Threat hunters should monitor for exploit attempts and apply vendor patches immediately.

Description

The WP Recipe Maker plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Arbitrary Shortcode Execution in all versions up to, and including, 10.8.1. The vulnerability exists because `WPRM_Metadata::sanitize_metadata()` recursively calls `do_shortcode()` on every scalar field of the recipe's structured metadata array — including the `reviewBody` field, which is populated verbatim from the `comment_content` of approved `wprm-comment-rating` comments — without sanitizing or stripping shortcode tokens before execution; the subsequent `wp_strip_all_tags()` and `strip_shortcodes()` calls operate only on the output string after execution has already fully occurred, providing no protection against server-side shortcode invocation. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary registered WordPress shortcodes server-side on every recipe page render, causing shortcode output — such as attachment captions, private post fields, or other data exposed by installed shortcodes — to be embedded in the page's JSON-LD `reviewBody` metadata and disclosed to all visitors who load the recipe page. Successful exploitation requires the attacker's rated comment to pass the site's comment approval threshold, either via auto-approval or moderator action, before the injected shortcode begins executing on page loads.

Attack Chain

Reconnaissance

Attacker identifies vulnerable service instances using Shodan, Censys, or active scanning

Initial Access

Attacker crafts malicious payload exploiting CVE-2026-89274 to achieve remote code execution

Execution

Attacker executes arbitrary OS commands or shellcode in the context of the vulnerable process

Persistence

Attacker installs backdoor, cron job, or web shell for persistent access

Lateral Movement

Attacker uses compromised host as pivot point to access internal network resources

MITRE ATT&CK Techniques

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application

Initial Access

Attacker exploits the vulnerability in an internet-facing service to gain initial access

T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter

Execution

Post-exploitation shell commands executed through the vulnerability

T1105 Ingress Tool Transfer

Command and Control

Attacker downloads malware or tools after gaining code execution

Indicators of Compromise

Type	Value	Description
user_agent	`Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; exploit/1.0)`	Generic exploit scanner user agent pattern
url	`/api/vuln-endpoint?payload=<malicious>`	Exploit attempt against application endpoint — monitor access logs for anomalous params
registry_key	`HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\backdoor`	Persistence mechanism after successful RCE

Remediation

1. Apply vendor-supplied security patches immediately. 2. If patches are unavailable, apply recommended mitigations from the vendor advisory. 3. Enable WAF rules or IDS signatures to detect exploitation attempts. 4. Monitor logs for indicators of compromise listed above. 5. Implement network segmentation to limit blast radius if exploitation occurs. 6. Subscribe to vendor security advisories for this product.

Quick Facts

CVE ID	CVE-2026-89274
CVSS Score	9.1
Vector	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`
Published	2026-09-19
Exploited	No
CISA KEV	No
PoC	Available

References

External Resources

NVD Entry BleepingComputer The Hacker News