# CVE-2023-6989: Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking & Intrusion Prevention Security <= 18.5.9 - Unauthenticated Local File Inclusion

> Unauthenticated attackers can exploit a local file inclusion vulnerability to execute arbitrary PHP code on the server.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 5 Feb 2024
- **Updated:** 8 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-72xj-cfw6-3c4q

## What is CVE-2023-6989?

CVE-2023-6989 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in paultgoodchild Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users, and Prevents Security Breaches, published on 5 Feb 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory), CWE-98 (Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-6989?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Getshieldsecurity Shield Security.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-6989?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-6989 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-6989 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-6989 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Shield Security WP Plugin <= 18.5.9 - Local File Inclusion (nuclei): http/cves/2023/CVE-2023-6989.yaml

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

- [CVE-2023-0992](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0992/): Shield Security <= 17.0.17 - Unauthenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting (high 7.2)
- [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-2023-6989 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-6989 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in paultgoodchild Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users, and Prevents Security Breaches, published on 5 Feb 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-6989 exists.

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-2023-6989/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-6989/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-6989
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-6989
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-6989

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-6989/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.