# CVE-2026-111862: Rank Math SEO PRO 3.0.123 - Unauthenticated Embedded Malicious Code

> Attackers can compromise websites via malicious code injected into specific Rank Math SEO PRO plugin packages, leading to data theft and persistent access.

- **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:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 20 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-6qfj-hq55-w68p

## What is CVE-2026-111862?

CVE-2026-111862 is a critical vulnerability in RankMath Rank Math SEO PRO, published on 19 Oct 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Rank Math SEO PRO for WordPress is affected by a supply-chain compromise in a subset of version 3.0.123 packages downloaded or updated between October 15, 2026 at 20:02 UTC and October 16, 2026 at 07:12 UTC. Rank Math states that the affected plugin files contained malware that could compromise a website if the plugin was activated and directs sites that activated an affected package to treat the website as compromised. The malware may establish persistent access, communicate with rank1cdn[.]com, recreate hidden backdoors on page visits, and expose WordPress credentials, database credentials, API keys, and other secrets accessible to the web server. Rank Math identifies three malicious wp_options keys, hidden PHP backdoors, unauthorized administrator accounts, a fake WordPress core file, PHP-executable .cache files, and a system cron marker as incident indicators. Only packages obtained during the vendor-confirmed window are claimed as affected; version 3.0.123 alone is not sufficient to establish compromise. Rank Math removed the affected files and released version 3.0.124 as the clean replacement.

Weakness: CWE-506 (Embedded Malicious Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-111862?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-111862?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-111862 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-111862 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-111862 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-111862 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-111862 is a critical vulnerability in RankMath Rank Math SEO PRO, published on 19 Oct 2026. 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-2026-111862 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: RankMath Rank Math SEO PRO. 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-2026-111862/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-111862/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-111862
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-111862
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-111862

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-111862/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.