Description
The Simple CAPTCHA with Cloudflare Turnstile WordPress plugin from 1.2.2 before 1.42.3 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.
Published: 2026-09-11
Score: 6.5 Medium
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: Unauthenticated execution of arbitrary shortcodes
Action: Immediate Patch
AI Analysis

Impact

The vulnerability exists in the Simple CAPTCHA with Cloudflare Turnstile WordPress plugin when versions from 1.2.2 up to 1.42.2 are used. The plugin applies the Contact Form 7 shortcode parser to the entire rendered form, including data that visitors submit. This allows unauthenticated users to inject any shortcode registered on the site into the submitted form, leading to the execution of that shortcode without authentication. The flaw effectively permits arbitrary code execution, data disclosure, or other unintended actions, as the shortcodes can invoke any registered functions on the server.

Affected Systems

Affected systems are WordPress sites running the Simple CAPTCHA with Cloudflare Turnstile plugin version 1.2.2 through 1.42.2, inclusive. The weakness arises whenever the plugin parses a Contact Form 7 field that has been repopulated from user input.

Risk and Exploitability

The CVSS base score of 6.5 indicates medium severity. Although no public exploitation has been reported and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog, an attacker can exploit the flaw simply by submitting a crafted form: the attacker does not need administrative privileges or any special credentials. The lack of an exploit indicator does not reduce the potential risk, because the flaw opens a vector for arbitrary execution via shortcodes, which can lead to full site compromise in an environment where plugins expose powerful functionality.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on September 11, 2026 at 17:07 UTC.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record.

OpenCVE Recommended Actions

  • Upgrade the Simple CAPTCHA with Cloudflare Turnstile plugin to version 1.42.3 or newer, which corrects the shortcode parsing logic.
  • If an upgrade is not immediately possible, disable the plugin or remove the Contact Form 7 repopulation feature until a patch is released.
  • Monitor form submissions for unexpected shortcode syntax and block traffic that attempts to trigger shortcode execution.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on September 11, 2026 at 17:07 UTC.

Tracking

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Advisories

No advisories yet.

History

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 15:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-94

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 12:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-94

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 12:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-74
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Fri, 11 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description The Simple CAPTCHA with Cloudflare Turnstile WordPress plugin from 1.2.2 before 1.42.3 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.
Title Simple CAPTCHA with Cloudflare Turnstile 1.2.2 - 1.42.1 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary Shortcode Execution via Contact Form 7 Field Repopulation
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 6.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N'}


Subscriptions

No data.

cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: WPScan

Published:

Updated: 2026-09-11T12:07:09.031Z

Reserved: 2026-09-03T07:55:21.766Z

Link: CVE-2026-85116

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-09-11T12:05:31.975Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Deferred

Published: 2026-09-11T11:16:55.660

Modified: 2026-09-11T17:35:21.440

Link: CVE-2026-85116

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-09-11T17:15:07Z

Weaknesses
  • CWE-74

    Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')