CVE-2026-85117
Deferred Deferred - Pending Action

Arbitrary Shortcode Execution in Contact Form 7 Captcha WordPress Plugin

Publication date: 2026-09-09

Last updated on: 2026-09-09

Assigner: WPScan

Description
The Contact Form 7 Captcha WordPress plugin before 0.1.9 runs the shortcode parser over the whole rendered Contact Form 7 form, including the values a visitor submitted, allowing unauthenticated users to execute arbitrary shortcodes registered on the site.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-09-09
Last Modified
2026-09-09
Generated
2026-09-29
AI Q&A
2026-09-09
EPSS Evaluated
2026-09-27
NVD
CVE-2026-85117
EUVD
EUVD-2026-74724

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 2 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
contact_form_7_captcha contact_form_7_captcha to 0.1.9 (exc)
wpninjas contact_form_7_captcha to 0.1.9 (exc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-74 The product constructs all or part of a command, data structure, or record using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify how it is parsed or interpreted when it is sent to a downstream component.

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability affects the Contact Form 7 Captcha WordPress plugin versions 0.1.7 and 0.1.8. It allows unauthenticated users to execute arbitrary shortcodes by manipulating form field values. The plugin incorrectly processes the entire rendered form, including submitted data, enabling code injection.

Detection Guidance

Check the installed version of the Contact Form 7 Captcha plugin. If it is 0.1.7 or 0.1.8, the system is vulnerable. Use WordPress admin panel or run: wp plugin list --name=contact-form-7-captcha in WP-CLI.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to run malicious shortcodes on your WordPress site without authentication. This may lead to unauthorized actions, data theft, or site defacement. Systems with outdated plugins are at higher risk.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized data access or modification, violating GDPR and HIPAA requirements for data protection and integrity. Non-compliance risks legal penalties and reputational damage.

Mitigation Strategies

Update the Contact Form 7 Captcha plugin to version 0.1.9 or later immediately. Disable the plugin temporarily if an update is not possible.

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