CVE-2026-5411 WP Captcha PRO <= 5.38 - Missing Authorization to Authenticated (Subscriber+) Arbitrary File Upload
Authenticated attackers can upload arbitrary files including webshells via license meta injection, leading to remote code execution.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2026-5411?
CVE-2026-5411 is a high-severity vulnerability in webfactory Advanced Google reCAPTCHA, published on 5 Jun 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
The WP Captcha PRO (the premium version of the Advanced Google reCAPTCHA plugin, both have the same slug) plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file upload in all versions up to, and including, 5.38. This is due to a capability check in the save_ajax() function of the licensing module, combined with unrestricted file extraction in sync_cloud_protection(). This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to upload arbitrary files including PHP webshells to the server by injecting a malicious cloud_protection_url into the license meta, which the plugin then downloads and extracts without file type validation into a web-accessible uploads directory. This can be used for remote code execution. Note: The vulnerability can only be exploited with a remote URL if "allow_url_fopen" is enabled in the php.ini config.
Weakness: CWE-434
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-5411?
How do I fix CVE-2026-5411?
No fix has been published for CVE-2026-5411 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Is CVE-2026-5411 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-5411 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Public exploit code: 1 proofs of concept on GitHub.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-pvjf-9qxm-hpmx.