CVE-2019-9787

CVE-2019-9787 is a high-severity vulnerability in Wordpress with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 44% places it in the 99th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-352.

Key facts

Description

WordPress before 5.1.1 does not properly filter comment content, leading to Remote Code Execution by unauthenticated users in a default configuration. This occurs because CSRF protection is mishandled, and because Search Engine Optimization of A elements is performed incorrectly, leading to XSS. The XSS results in administrative access, which allows arbitrary changes to .php files. This is related to wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php and wp-includes/comment.php.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2019-9787?
WordPress before 5.1.1 does not properly filter comment content, leading to Remote Code Execution by unauthenticated users in a default configuration. This occurs because CSRF protection is mishandled, and because Search Engine Optimization of A elements is performed incorrectly, leading to XSS. The XSS results in administrative access, which allows arbitrary changes to .php files. This is related to wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php and wp-includes/comment.php.
How severe is CVE-2019-9787?
CVE-2019-9787 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2019-9787 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 44% (99th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2019-9787?
CVE-2019-9787 affects Wordpress. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2019-9787?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2019-9787 published?
CVE-2019-9787 was published on 2019-03-14 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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