WordPress Vulnerability Report – April 12, 2023

This week, 79 vulnerabilities may affect over 6.6 million WordPress sites. There are 55 plugin vulnerabilities and 5 themes with security patches available, so run those updates if you use these plugins! Additionally, there are 19 plugin vulnerabilities with no patch available yet. At least three of these have been closed and dropped from the wordpress.org plugin directory so far. If you are using any unpatched plugins or themes, check their vendors’ intentions and progress on a security release. If no patch is forthcoming or the vulnerable plugin or theme has been closed, you should consider deactivation and removal in favor of alternative solutions.

For reference, these reports are published every Wednesday and include all active vulnerabilities tracked by Patchstack as of Monday since the previous report. This leaves a 48-hour window for the newest emerging vulnerabilities to be patched before full public disclosure. iThemes Security Pro users have access to vulnerability alerts emerging within this window.

WordPress core is very secure when it’s properly configured and maintained. Vulnerable plugins that have not been updated by site owners are the most common vector for attacks on WordPress websites. Our weekly WordPress Vulnerability Report, powered by Patchstack, covers new WordPress plugin, theme, and core vulnerabilities that have emerged since last week’s report. Our goal is to spread awareness of emerging security threats and help you decide what to do if you are using vulnerable software on your website. For a deeper analysis of recent trends in WordPress vulnerabilities and threat vectors, see our 2022 Annual Vulnerability Report.

WordPress Core News

WordPress 6.2 is the first major release of 2023, with over 900 enhancements and fixes. You’ll notice a reimagined Site Editor, blocks get even better, and new tools and improvements in WordPress 6.2. As always, with a major release like this, ensure your site is backed up with BackupBuddy before updating.

If your WordPress sites have enabled automatic background updates, they should have upgraded to 6.2 automatically. You can download WordPress 6.2 from WordPress.org, or visit your WordPress Dashboard, click “Updates,” and then click the “Update Now” button, which will appear when any core updates are available. For more information, check out the version 6.2 HelpHub documentation page.

WordPress Plugin Vulnerabilities with Patches

In this section, you’ll find the most recently disclosed WordPress plugin vulnerabilities that have been fixed with a new release from their authors and maintainers. Please apply the updates if you are affected!

These vulnerabilities have been disclosed and scored for their severity thanks to our friends at Patchstack. Each plugin listing includes the type of vulnerability with its CVE number and CVSS severity rating with links to more technical details. You’ll also see the number of active sites using the plugin and the plugin version release that patches the vulnerability. We start with the most popular plugins, which represent the largest target for attackers.

WordPress Plugin Vulnerabilities – No Known Fix

This section contains plugin vulnerabilities with no known fix. Until a patch is available, you are advised to deactivate the plugin, at minimum, immediately. If there is a high risk of active exploits or the plugin remains unpatched for weeks, you are advised to delete the plugin. You should also delete persistently unpatched plugins the WordPress.org repository has locked and marked “Closed” so they can no longer be downloaded and installed.

WordPress Theme Vulnerabilities

In this section, you’ll find the latest WordPress theme vulnerabilities to be disclosed. You’ll see the same information provided above for vulnerable plugins, and the same advice applies. If a security update exists, install it immediately. If a vulnerability remains unpatched in a theme you are actively using, you will need to find an alternative theme. Deactivate and delete persistently unpatched themes and those that have been “Closed” in the WordPress.org theme repository. If you have a vulnerable theme installed that you are not actively using, simply delete it.

Never worry about running a vulnerable plugin or theme again.

As you can see from this report, new WordPress plugin and theme vulnerabilities are disclosed every week. We know it can be difficult to stay on top of every reported vulnerability disclosure that matters to you, so the Themes Security Pro plugin makes it easy to ensure your site isn’t running a vulnerable theme, plugin, or version of WordPress core.

Scans Your Website Twice a Day for Vulnerabilities

Your website’s plugins, themes, and WordPress core versions are checked against the Patchstack Vulnerability Database for the latest vulnerability disclosures.

Automatically Updates if a Security Fix is Available

Paired with Version Management, iThemes Security will automatically update a plugin, theme, or WordPress core version if it has a vulnerability.

Emails You a Warning if Site Scan Detects a Vulnerability

You can receive an email report if your site is running vulnerable versions of a plugin, theme, or WordPress core. Customize the email addresses that receive scan results.

The Best WordPress Security Plugin to Secure & Protect WordPress Sites

WordPress currently powers over 40% of all websites, so it has become a popular target for hackers with malicious intent. The iThemes Security Pro plugin takes the guesswork out of WordPress security to make it easy to secure & protect your WordPress website. It’s like having a full-time security expert on staff who constantly monitors and protects your WordPress site for you.

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