Vulnerability Chain in WordPress Core Could Allow Remote Code Execution

A vulnerability chain has been discovered in WordPress Core that could allow remote code execution. WordPress is an open source content management system (CMS) used to design, create and publish personal and business websites. Successful exploitation of the vulnerability chain could enable remote code execution in the context of the affected service account. Depending on the privileges associated with the service account, an attacker could then install programs; view, modify or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Services whose accounts are configured to have fewer system rights may be less impacted than those operating with administrative user rights.

Cybersecurity media reports public proofs of concept are available. MS-ISAC SOC also observed telemetry that indicates automated analysis and exploitation of this vulnerability chain against adhesion.

A vulnerability chain has been discovered in WordPress Core that could allow remote code execution. An anonymous, unauthenticated user can exploit this chain remotely by creating and sending a SQL injection via an HTTP POST request with parameters not verified by the affected systems. The details of these vulnerabilities are as follows:

Tactical: Initial access (TA0001)

Technical: Operate a public application (T1190)

• CVE-2026-60137: Vulnerable WordPress systems do not properly sanitize the author__not_in parameter of WP_Query, which could allow SQL injection when a plugin or theme passes untrusted input to the parameter.
• CVE-2026-63030: Vulnerable WordPress systems are affected by a REST API batch endpoint route confusion issue which, combined with CVE-2026-60137, could allow an attacker to perform SQL injection and achieve remote code execution.

Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution in the context of the affected service account. Depending on the privileges associated with the service account, an attacker could then install programs; view, modify or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Services whose accounts are configured to have fewer rights on the system may be less impacted than those operating with administrator rights.

We recommend that the following actions be taken:

• Apply appropriate updates provided by WordPress to vulnerable systems immediately after appropriate testing. (M1051: Software update)
• Backup 7.1: Establish and maintain a vulnerability management process: Establish and maintain a documented vulnerability management process for company assets. Review and update documentation annually or when significant changes within the business occur that could impact this protection.
• Safeguard 7.2: Establish and maintain a remediation process: Establish and maintain a risk-based remediation strategy, documented in a remediation process, with monthly or more frequent reviews.
• Backup 7.4: Perform automated application patch management: Perform application updates on enterprise assets with automated patch management on a monthly or more frequent basis.
• Backup 7.7: Fix detected vulnerabilities: Remediate detected vulnerabilities in software through processes and tools on a monthly or more frequent basis, depending on the remediation process.
• Backup 12.1: Ensure network infrastructure is up to date: Make sure the network infrastructure is kept up to date. Example implementations include running the latest stable version of the software and/or using currently supported Network as a Service (NaaS) offerings. Review software versions monthly, or more frequently, to verify software support.
• Vulnerability scanning is used to find potentially exploitable software vulnerabilities for remediation. (M1016: Vulnerability Analysis)
• Backup 16.13: Perform application penetration testing: Perform application penetration testing. For mission-critical applications, authenticated penetration testing is better suited to detecting business logic vulnerabilities than code analysis and automated security testing. Penetration testing relies on the tester’s ability to manually manipulate an application as an authenticated and unauthenticated user.
• Backup 18.1: Establish and maintain a penetration testing program: Establish and maintain a penetration testing program appropriate to the size, complexity and maturity of the company. Penetration testing program characteristics include scope, such as network, web application, application programming interface (API), hosted services, and physical premises controls; frequency; limitations, such as acceptable hours and excluded types of attacks; contact details; corrective actions, such as how results will be communicated internally; and retrospective requirements.
• Backup 18.3: Results of corrective penetration tests: Remediate penetration test results based on company policy for scope and priority of remediation.

• Apply the principle of least privilege to all systems and services. Run all software as an unprivileged user (without administrative privileges) to lessen the effects of a successful attack. (M1026: Management of privileged accounts)
• Backup 4.7: Manage default accounts on company assets and software: Manage default accounts on company assets and software, such as root, administrator, and other preconfigured vendor accounts. Example implementations may include: disabling default accounts or rendering them unusable.
• Backup 5.5: Establish and maintain an inventory of service accounts: Establish and maintain an inventory of service accounts. The inventory must at a minimum contain the service owner, review date and purpose. Perform service account reviews to verify that all active accounts are authorized, on a recurring schedule at least quarterly or more frequently.

• Architect sections of the network to isolate critical systems, functions or resources. Use physical and logical segmentation to prevent access to potentially sensitive systems and information. Use a DMZ to contain all Internet-accessible services that should not be exposed from the internal network. Configure separate virtual private cloud (VPC) instances to isolate critical cloud systems. (M1030: Network segmentation)
• Backup 12.2: Establish and maintain a secure network architecture: Establish and maintain a secure network architecture. A secure network architecture must at a minimum take into account segmentation, least privilege and availability.
• Backup 12.8: Establish and maintain dedicated IT resources for all administrative work: Establish and maintain dedicated IT resources, physically or logically separated, for all administrative tasks or tasks requiring administrative access. IT resources should be segmented from the company’s main network and not allowed to access the Internet.