# CVE-2023-0992: Shield Security <= 17.0.17 - Unauthenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting

> Unauthenticated attackers can inject arbitrary scripts via the User-Agent header, leading to stored XSS execution for users.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 9 Jun 2023
- **Updated:** 8 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-2p6c-99qx-rqfx

## What is CVE-2023-0992?

CVE-2023-0992 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in paultgoodchild Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users, and Prevents Security Breaches, published on 9 Jun 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Shield Security plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to stored Cross-Site Scripting in versions up to, and including, 17.0.17 via the 'User-Agent' header. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-0992?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Getshieldsecurity Shield Security.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-0992?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-0992 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-0992 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-0992 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in paultgoodchild Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users, and Prevents Security Breaches

- [CVE-2023-6989](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-6989/): Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking & Intrusion Prevention Security <= 18.5.9 - Unauthenticated Local File Inclusion (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-22163](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-22163/): WordPress Shield Security Plugin <= 18.5.7 is vulnerable to Cross Site Scripting (XSS) (high 7.1)
- [CVE-2024-7313](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-7313/): Shield Security < 20.0.6 - Reflected XSS (medium 6.1)
- [CVE-2022-0211](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0211/): Shield Security < 13.0.6 - Admin+ Stored Cross-Site Scripting (medium 4.8)
- [CVE-2023-0993](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0993/): Shield Security <= 17.0.17 - Missing Authorization (medium 4.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-0992 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-0992 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in paultgoodchild Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users, and Prevents Security Breaches, published on 9 Jun 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-0992 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: paultgoodchild Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users, and Prevents Security Breaches. 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-2023-0992/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0992/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-0992
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-0992
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-0992

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0992/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.