CVE-2026-0722
CSRF Enables SQL Injection in Shield Security WordPress Plugin
Publication date: 2026-02-19
Last updated on: 2026-02-19
Assigner: Wordfence
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
| Probability: | |
| Percentile: |
Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| fernleafsystems | wp-simple-firewall | 21.0.8 |
| wordfence | shield_security | to 21.0.8 (inc) |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-89 | The product constructs all or part of an SQL command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended SQL command when it is sent to a downstream component. Without sufficient removal or quoting of SQL syntax in user-controllable inputs, the generated SQL query can cause those inputs to be interpreted as SQL instead of ordinary user data. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
The Shield Security plugin for WordPress up to version 21.0.8 is vulnerable to a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attack. This vulnerability arises because the plugin's nonce verification can be bypassed through a user-supplied parameter in the 'isNonceVerifyRequired' function. As a result, an unauthenticated attacker can trick a site administrator into performing an action, such as clicking a malicious link, which then allows the attacker to execute SQL injection attacks and extract sensitive information from the database.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can have serious impacts including unauthorized extraction of sensitive data from your WordPress site's database. Because it allows SQL injection via forged requests, an attacker can gain access to confidential information without authentication. The attack requires tricking an administrator into performing an action, which can lead to data breaches and compromise of site integrity.
How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:
I don't know
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
[{'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'The vulnerability involves Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) allowing unauthenticated attackers to bypass nonce verification and execute SQL injection attacks via forged requests targeting the Shield Security WordPress plugin up to version 21.0.8.'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'Detection can focus on monitoring suspicious or unauthorized requests that attempt to bypass nonce verification or trigger SQL injection patterns in requests handled by the Shield Security plugin.'}, {'type': 'paragraph', 'content': 'Within the Shield Security plugin, traffic logs are processed and displayed in the admin interface, including details such as IP addresses, offense status, request paths, and user information. Monitoring these logs for unusual or suspicious activity can help detect exploitation attempts.'}, {'type': 'list_item', 'content': "Check the Shield Security plugin's traffic logs for unusual requests, especially those with forged or missing nonce parameters."}, {'type': 'list_item', 'content': 'Look for HTTP requests that include suspicious SQL injection payloads or abnormal query strings targeting admin actions.'}, {'type': 'list_item', 'content': 'Use WordPress or server access logs to grep for requests to Shield Security plugin endpoints with suspicious parameters.'}, {'type': 'list_item', 'content': 'Example command to search web server logs for suspicious requests (adjust path and plugin endpoints accordingly):'}, {'type': 'list_item', 'content': 'grep -iE "(shield|nonce|isNonceVerifyRequired)" /var/log/apache2/access.log | grep -E "(union|select|insert|update|delete|drop|--|;|\')"'}, {'type': 'list_item', 'content': 'Within the Shield Security plugin admin interface, review traffic logs that include IP reputation and offense status to identify potentially malicious activity.'}] [1]
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
To mitigate this vulnerability, the primary step is to update the Shield Security WordPress plugin to a version later than 21.0.8 where the nonce verification bypass and related SQL injection vulnerability are fixed.
Until an update is applied, consider the following immediate mitigation steps:
- Restrict administrative access to trusted IP addresses to reduce the risk of attackers tricking administrators into clicking malicious links.
- Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to block suspicious requests containing SQL injection patterns or missing valid nonces.
- Educate site administrators to avoid clicking on suspicious or untrusted links that could trigger forged requests.
- Monitor plugin traffic logs and server logs closely for signs of exploitation attempts and block offending IP addresses.
Ultimately, applying the official security patch or plugin update is the most effective and recommended mitigation.