---
title: "CVE-2023-6989: Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking… | CubePath"
description: "The Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking & Intrusion Prevention Security plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Local File Inclusion in all versions…"
language: en
source: https://cubepath.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-6989
---

# CVE-2023-6989: Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking… | CubePath

## Description

The Shield Security – Smart Bot Blocking & Intrusion Prevention Security plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Local File Inclusion in all versions up to, and including, 18.5.9 via the render\_action\_template parameter. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attacker to include and execute PHP files on the server, allowing the execution of any PHP code in those files.

Official description from the CVE record, published by Wordfence. Copyright © 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. See [/security/cve/legal](https://cubepath.com/security/cve/legal) for the CVE license. [View the record on cve.org](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-6989)

## Key data

### CVSS 3.1 Critical 9.8

Score published by Wordfence in the CVE record.

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

| Metric                 | Value     | What it means                                                                       |
| ---------------------- | --------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Attack vector          | Network   | The vulnerable component can be reached over a network, possibly from the Internet. |
| Attack complexity      | Low       | No special conditions are needed. The attack can be repeated at will.               |
| Privileges required    | None      | No account or privileges are needed.                                                |
| User interaction       | None      | No action from any user is needed.                                                  |
| Scope                  | Unchanged | The impact stays within the vulnerable component.                                   |
| Confidentiality impact | High      | Serious or total effect on the secrecy of data.                                     |
| Integrity impact       | High      | Serious or total effect on the trustworthiness of data.                             |
| Availability impact    | High      | Serious or total effect on availability.                                            |

CVSS is owned and managed by FIRST.Org, Inc. (FIRST) and is used by permission. Each CVSS score on this site is shown together with its vector string, as published in the CVE record by the source named next to it. Learn more at [first.org/cvss](https://www.first.org/cvss/) .

### EPSS

Exploit Prediction Scoring System by FIRST: an estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days.

Score

0.56567 (56.6% probability)

Percentile

99.1%

Scores of

Nov 10, 2026

Model

v2026.06.15

### CISA assessment as of Nov 7, 2024

Stakeholder-Specific Vulnerability Categorization (SSVC) decision points added by CISA.

Exploitation

Public proof of concept recorded by CISA

Automatable

yes

Technical impact

total

### Weakness (CWE)

CWE catalog version 5.0.

CWE names: Copyright © 2006-2026, The MITRE Corporation. See [/security/cve/legal](https://cubepath.com/security/cve/legal) for the CWE license.

- [CWE-98](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/98.html) Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program

## Affected products

Products listed in the CVE record, as the CNA published them.

- paultgoodchild Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users, and Prevents Security Breaches

  - affected: up to 18.5.9

## References

Links listed in the CVE record. They lead to other sites, which CubePath does not control.

- [wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/063826cc-7ff3…](https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/063826cc-7ff3-4869-9831-f6a4a4bbe74c?source=cve)
- [plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?sfp\_email=&sfph\_mail=&…](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?sfp%5Femail=&sfph%5Fmail=&reponame=&old=3013699%40wp-simple-firewall&new=3013699%40wp-simple-firewall&sfp%5Femail=&sfph%5Fmail=)

## Timeline

1. ID reserved Dec 20, 2023
2. Record published Feb 5, 2024
3. Record last updated Apr 8, 2026

## Look up another CVE

## About CubePath

CubePath is a cloud provider with data centers in Europe and the United States. It offers VPS, bare metal servers and DDoS protection.

[Cloud VPS](https://cubepath.com/vps) [DDoS protection](https://cubepath.com/ddos-protection)

Data from the CVE Program (MITRE), CISA KEV and FIRST EPSS. CVSS is owned by FIRST and used by permission. Not affiliated with or endorsed by MITRE, CISA or FIRST. Data as of Nov 10, 2026, 20:01 UTC. [Sources and licenses](https://cubepath.com/security/cve/legal)