# CVE-2017-20251: WordPress Insert PHP Plugin < 2.5.1 PHP Code Injection via REST API

Status: published. Published: 2026-06-09. Updated: 2026-11-12.

WordPress Insert PHP plugin versions before 2.5.1 contain a PHP code injection vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code by injecting malicious shortcodes through the WordPress REST API. Attackers can send POST requests to the wp-json/wp/v2/posts endpoint with crafted content containing insert_php shortcodes to include and execute remote PHP files on the server.

## Remediation

- fix: The reporting source identifies this reference as a patch. Check the advisory for affected versions and supported release branches. (source: CNA: VulnCheck) — https://wordpress.org/plugins/insert-php/#developers

## Affected products and versions

- Themeisle / Woody Code Snippets: ≥ 0; < 2.5.1 (affected, semver). Source: CNA: VulnCheck

## Severity and prioritization

- CVSS 4.0: 9.3 (critical); CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N; source: CNA: VulnCheck

- CVSS 3.1: 9.8 (critical); CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H; source: CNA: VulnCheck

- CVSS 4.0: 9.3 (critical); CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X; source: NVD: disclosure@vulncheck.com

- CVSS 3.1: 9.8 (critical); CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H; source: NVD: disclosure@vulncheck.com

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: 0.56% as of 2026-11-12; percentile 47.02%

- SSVC: exploitation poc; automatable yes; technical impact total; source ADP: CISA-ADP

- Weaknesses: CWE-94

## Exploit evidence

- exploit: https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41308 (CNA: VulnCheck)

## References

- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41308 (CNA: VulnCheck; exploit)

- https://wordpress.org/plugins/insert-php/#developers (CNA: VulnCheck; product, patch)

- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/wordpress-insert-php-plugin-php-code-injection-via-rest-api (CNA: VulnCheck; third-party-advisory)

- https://wordpress.org/plugins/insert-php/#developers (disclosure@vulncheck.com)

- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41308 (disclosure@vulncheck.com)

- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/wordpress-insert-php-plugin-php-code-injection-via-rest-api (disclosure@vulncheck.com)

## Provenance

- CNA: VulnCheck: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-20251; retrieved 2026-11-12; source updated 2026-11-12

- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-20251; retrieved 2026-11-13; source updated 2026-11-12

- FIRST EPSS: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2017-20251; retrieved 2026-11-12; source updated Not reported

Revision: 28683ec5121c209acc9d6e1a1ac0bd9ca906a683d1dc362aa67154ca030aca98

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2017-20251

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