Summary
CVE-2026-18937 is a critical code injection vulnerability (CWE-94) in the Broken Link Checker WordPress plugin, versions before 2.4.12. On sites using plain permalinks, the plugin does not restrict which query variables it accepts from user input, allowing unauthenticated attackers to overwrite arbitrary PHP global variables and execute arbitrary code on the server. The flaw carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.0 (Critical).
Technical details
- Root cause: the plugin fails to limit which query variables it accepts from user-supplied input.
- Trigger condition: exploitation requires the affected site to use the "plain" permalink structure, and a classic (non-block) element/widget to be active.
- Attack vector: network-based, requiring no authentication and no user interaction; an attacker submits crafted query variables that overwrite PHP global variables.
- Impact: full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability, up to arbitrary code execution on the underlying server (scope change to affected components beyond the vulnerable module).
Affected software
- Broken Link Checker WordPress plugin: all versions prior to 2.4.12
Severity
- CVSS v3.1 Base Score: 9.0 (Critical)
- Vector:
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Mitigation and recommended actions
- Immediate: upgrade Broken Link Checker to version 2.4.12 or later, which patches the vulnerability.
- If patching is not immediately possible: avoid using the "plain" permalink structure on affected WordPress sites, or temporarily disable the Broken Link Checker plugin until the update can be applied.

