Cybersecurity professionals consider CVE-2026-12242 an immediate threat requiring urgent mitigation.
Status: Deferred
Last updated: 🕐 25 Jun 2026, 13:26 UTC
Originally published on: 🕐 24 Jun 2026, 13:16 UTC
Time between publication and last update: 1 days
CVSS Release: version 3
security@wordfence.com
Secondary
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVE-2026-12242: The AdRotate Banner Manager plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to PHP Code Injection in all versions up to, and including, 5.17.7 via the 'banner' attribute of the adrotate shortcode. This is due to insufficient input validation and sanitization of the banner shortcode attribute before concatenation into a PHP code string wrapped in W3 Total Cache mfunc or Borlabs Cache fragment markers. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Contributor-level access and above, to execute arbitrary PHP code on the server. This vulnerability requires W3 Total Cache or Borlabs Cache support to be enabled in AdRotate settings.
The exploitability of CVE-2026-12242 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).
CVE-2026-12242 presents an accessible attack vector with minimal effort required. Restricting access controls and implementing security updates are critical to reducing exploitation risks.
A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.
Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.
Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.
Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2026-12242, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.
Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2026-12242, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.
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