CVE-2026-111862 (GCVE-0-2026-111862)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-10-19 16:35 – Updated: 2026-10-19 16:35
VLAI
Title
Rank Math SEO PRO 3.0.123 - Unauthenticated Embedded Malicious Code
Summary
Rank Math SEO PRO for WordPress is affected by a supply-chain compromise in a subset of version 3.0.123 packages downloaded or updated between October 15, 2026 at 20:02 UTC and October 16, 2026 at 07:12 UTC. Rank Math states that the affected plugin files contained malware that could compromise a website if the plugin was activated and directs sites that activated an affected package to treat the website as compromised. The malware may establish persistent access, communicate with rank1cdn[.]com, recreate hidden backdoors on page visits, and expose WordPress credentials, database credentials, API keys, and other secrets accessible to the web server. Rank Math identifies three malicious wp_options keys, hidden PHP backdoors, unauthorized administrator accounts, a fake WordPress core file, PHP-executable .cache files, and a system cron marker as incident indicators. Only packages obtained during the vendor-confirmed window are claimed as affected; version 3.0.123 alone is not sufficient to establish compromise. Rank Math removed the affected files and released version 3.0.124 as the clean replacement.
Severity
9.8 (Critical)
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CWE
  • CWE-506 - Embedded Malicious Code
Assigner
Wordfence CNA under the mitre root
CNA scorecard C 65/100 over 2260 records in the last 180 days details
References
Impacted products
Vendor Product Version CPE status
RankMath Rank Math SEO PRO Affected: 3.0.123
guessed Create a notification for this product.
Show details on NVD website
To clipboard 

{
  "containers": {
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "product": "Rank Math SEO PRO",
          "vendor": "RankMath",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "3.0.123"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "Rank Math SEO PRO for WordPress is affected by a supply-chain compromise in a subset of version 3.0.123 packages downloaded or updated between October 15, 2026 at 20:02 UTC and October 16, 2026 at 07:12 UTC. Rank Math states that the affected plugin files contained malware that could compromise a website if the plugin was activated and directs sites that activated an affected package to treat the website as compromised. The malware may establish persistent access, communicate with rank1cdn[.]com, recreate hidden backdoors on page visits, and expose WordPress credentials, database credentials, API keys, and other secrets accessible to the web server. Rank Math identifies three malicious wp_options keys, hidden PHP backdoors, unauthorized administrator accounts, a fake WordPress core file, PHP-executable .cache files, and a system cron marker as incident indicators. Only packages obtained during the vendor-confirmed window are claimed as affected; version 3.0.123 alone is not sufficient to establish compromise. Rank Math removed the affected files and released version 3.0.124 as the clean replacement."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "baseScore": 9.8,
            "baseSeverity": "CRITICAL",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
          }
        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "cweId": "CWE-506",
              "description": "CWE-506 Embedded Malicious Code",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-10-19T16:35:59.949Z",
        "orgId": "b15e7b5b-3da4-40ae-a43c-f7aa60e62599",
        "shortName": "Wordfence"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "url": "https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/81cd7a2c-ad0c-4dbc-b5dc-07ec866d5c1f?source=cve"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://rankmath.com/kb/pro-3-0-123-security-incident/"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://rankmath.com/changelog/"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://urlscan.io/result/01a145c2-8dc8-72ff-a65d-21209ca29c4f/"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://rdap.verisign.com/com/v1/domain/rank1cdn.com"
        }
      ],
      "timeline": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "time": "2026-10-15T00:00:00.000Z",
          "value": "Discovered"
        },
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "time": "2026-10-16T00:00:00.000Z",
          "value": "Disclosed"
        }
      ],
      "title": "Rank Math SEO PRO 3.0.123 - Unauthenticated Embedded Malicious Code"
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "b15e7b5b-3da4-40ae-a43c-f7aa60e62599",
    "assignerShortName": "Wordfence",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-111862",
    "datePublished": "2026-10-19T16:35:59.949Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-10-17T02:00:53.250Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-10-19T16:35:59.949Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "nvd": {
      "cve": {
        "affected": [
          {
            "affectedData": [
              {
                "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
                "product": "Rank Math SEO PRO",
                "vendor": "RankMath",
                "versions": [
                  {
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "3.0.123"
                  }
                ]
              }
            ],
            "source": "security@wordfence.com"
          }
        ],
        "cveTags": [],
        "descriptions": [
          {
            "lang": "en",
            "value": "Rank Math SEO PRO for WordPress is affected by a supply-chain compromise in a subset of version 3.0.123 packages downloaded or updated between October 15, 2026 at 20:02 UTC and October 16, 2026 at 07:12 UTC. Rank Math states that the affected plugin files contained malware that could compromise a website if the plugin was activated and directs sites that activated an affected package to treat the website as compromised. The malware may establish persistent access, communicate with rank1cdn[.]com, recreate hidden backdoors on page visits, and expose WordPress credentials, database credentials, API keys, and other secrets accessible to the web server. Rank Math identifies three malicious wp_options keys, hidden PHP backdoors, unauthorized administrator accounts, a fake WordPress core file, PHP-executable .cache files, and a system cron marker as incident indicators. Only packages obtained during the vendor-confirmed window are claimed as affected; version 3.0.123 alone is not sufficient to establish compromise. Rank Math removed the affected files and released version 3.0.124 as the clean replacement."
          }
        ],
        "id": "CVE-2026-111862",
        "lastModified": "2026-10-19T20:43:24.237",
        "metrics": {
          "cvssMetricV31": [
            {
              "cvssData": {
                "attackComplexity": "LOW",
                "attackVector": "NETWORK",
                "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
                "baseScore": 9.8,
                "baseSeverity": "CRITICAL",
                "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
                "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
                "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
                "scope": "UNCHANGED",
                "userInteraction": "NONE",
                "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
                "version": "3.1"
              },
              "exploitabilityScore": 3.9,
              "impactScore": 5.9,
              "source": "security@wordfence.com",
              "type": "Primary"
            }
          ]
        },
        "published": "2026-10-19T17:17:04.507",
        "references": [
          {
            "source": "security@wordfence.com",
            "url": "https://rankmath.com/changelog/"
          },
          {
            "source": "security@wordfence.com",
            "url": "https://rankmath.com/kb/pro-3-0-123-security-incident/"
          },
          {
            "source": "security@wordfence.com",
            "url": "https://rdap.verisign.com/com/v1/domain/rank1cdn.com"
          },
          {
            "source": "security@wordfence.com",
            "url": "https://urlscan.io/result/01a145c2-8dc8-72ff-a65d-21209ca29c4f/"
          },
          {
            "source": "security@wordfence.com",
            "url": "https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/81cd7a2c-ad0c-4dbc-b5dc-07ec866d5c1f?source=cve"
          }
        ],
        "sourceIdentifier": "security@wordfence.com",
        "vulnStatus": "Deferred",
        "weaknesses": [
          {
            "description": [
              {
                "lang": "en",
                "value": "CWE-506"
              }
            ],
            "source": "security@wordfence.com",
            "type": "Primary"
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}



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