# CVE-2017-20289: Broadstreet Ad Widget WordPress Plugin < 2.12.0 Local File Inclusion via step parameter


- **Severity:** High 7.7 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 22 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 23 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p32h-85vq-6f9p

## What is CVE-2017-20289?

CVE-2017-20289 is a high-severity vulnerability in Broadstreet Ad Widget, published on 22 Oct 2026. 

### Official description

Broadstreet Ad Widget plugin for WordPress 2.2.0 before 2.12.0 contains a local file inclusion vulnerability that allows authenticated users to execute attacker-chosen PHP files by passing unsanitized input to require in views/modal/index.php. Attackers can supply directory traversal sequences in the 'step' parameter, optionally with a null byte, to include local files and execute PHP code. Exploitation evidence was first observed by the Shadowserver Foundation on 2023-10-19.

Weakness: CWE-98 (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-20289?


## How do I fix CVE-2017-20289?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-20289 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-20289 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2017-20289 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-20289 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-20289 is a high-severity vulnerability in Broadstreet Ad Widget, published on 22 Oct 2026. 
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2017-20289 exists.

Affected product: Broadstreet Ad Widget. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-20289/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-20289/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-20289
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-20289
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-20289

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-20289/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.