# CVE-2023-40606: WordPress Kanban Boards for WordPress Plugin <= 2.5.21 is vulnerable to Arbitrary Code Execution

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code via improper code generation in the Kanban Boards for WordPress plugin.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 29 Dec 2023
- **Updated:** 28 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-32mh-vqmr-g449

## What is CVE-2023-40606?

CVE-2023-40606 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Kanban Boards for WordPress, published on 29 Dec 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection') vulnerability in Kanban for WordPress Kanban Boards for WordPress.This issue affects Kanban Boards for WordPress: from n/a through 2.5.21.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-40606?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Kanbanwp Kanban Boards for Wordpress.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-40606?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-40606 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-40606 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-40606 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Kanban Boards for WordPress

- [CVE-2023-23884](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-23884/): WordPress Kanban Boards for WordPress Plugin <= 2.5.20 is vulnerable to Cross Site Scripting (XSS) (medium 5.9)
- [CVE-2023-0873](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0873/): Kanban Boards for WordPress < 2.5.21 - Admin+ Stored XSS (medium 4.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-40606 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-40606 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Kanban Boards for WordPress, published on 29 Dec 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-40606 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Kanban Boards for WordPress. 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-2023-40606/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-40606/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-40606
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-40606
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-40606

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-40606/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.