CVE-2026-18385
Received Received - Intake

Arbitrary Shortcode Execution in ProfilePress WordPress Plugin

Publication date: 2026-08-16

Last updated on: 2026-08-16

Assigner: Wordfence

Description
The The Paid Membership Plugin, Ecommerce, User Registration Form, Login Form, User Profile & Restrict Content – ProfilePress plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary shortcode execution in all versions up to, and including, 4.16.19. This is due to the software allowing users to execute an action that does not properly validate a value before running do_shortcode. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level access and above, to execute arbitrary shortcodes. The partial mitigation introduced via strip_shortcodes() on [profile-first-name] and [profile-last-name] can be bypassed through the [profile-display-name format="first_last_names"] render path, the [profile-bio] render path (which re-fetches the raw description meta), and the double-bracket escape sequence [[tag]], all of which allow attacker-controlled shortcode text to reach the outer do_shortcode() call.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-16
Last Modified
2026-08-16
Generated
2026-08-16
AI Q&A
2026-08-16
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-18385
EUVD
EUVD-2026-59853

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
profilepress paid_membership_plugin to 4.16.19 (inc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-94 The product constructs all or part of a code segment using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the syntax or behavior of the intended code segment.

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Executive Summary

The ProfilePress plugin for WordPress allows arbitrary shortcode execution due to improper validation before running do_shortcode. Authenticated attackers with subscriber-level access or higher can exploit this to run malicious shortcodes. The issue persists even after partial mitigation attempts because bypass methods like [[tag]] escape sequences or specific render paths allow attacker-controlled shortcode text to reach do_shortcode.

Detection Guidance

To detect this vulnerability, check WordPress sites running ProfilePress versions up to 4.16.19 for unauthorized shortcode execution. Inspect user roles with subscriber access or higher for suspicious activity. Review server logs for unusual do_shortcode calls or double-bracket shortcode patterns like [[tag]]. Use WordPress security plugins to scan for known indicators of compromise.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary shortcodes on your WordPress site. This could lead to unauthorized actions, data leaks, or defacement. Attackers might inject malicious content, steal sensitive information, or escalate privileges if combined with other flaws.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized data access or modification, violating GDPR's integrity and confidentiality requirements. For HIPAA, it may risk protected health information exposure. Compliance failures could result in legal penalties, fines, or reputational damage.

Mitigation Strategies

Update the ProfilePress plugin to the latest version beyond 4.16.19 to address the arbitrary shortcode execution vulnerability. Remove or restrict subscriber-level access if not required. Monitor for unusual shortcode activity in WordPress logs.

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