# CVE-2026-85658: ProfilePress arbitrary shortcode execution

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-85658-the-paid-membership-plugin-ecommerce-user-registration-form-login  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-09-19. Updated: 2026-09-26  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-85658 · Severity: high · CVSS 8.1 · Published 2026-09-19

ProfilePress is a WordPress plugin that manages user registrations, memberships, and content access. The plugin fails to properly validate user input when processing shortcodes, allowing authenticated attackers with subscriber-level permissions to execute arbitrary shortcodes. This can lead to unauthorized actions, data exposure, or website compromise depending on available shortcodes.

Technologies: [ProfilePress](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/profilepress). Vendors: [ProfilePress](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/profilepress).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-85658 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-85658 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-85658?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 8.1, published 19 September 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** ProfilePress up to and including 4.17.2.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-85658?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-85658 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a web application.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-85658?** Check whether you run ProfilePress at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

The vulnerability exists in the plugin's handling of user-supplied input to the do_shortcode() function without proper sanitization or validation. Authenticated users with subscriber-level access and above can inject and execute arbitrary WordPress shortcodes. The issue affects all versions up to and including 4.17.2, and requires an attacker to be authenticated but does not require elevated privileges beyond subscriber level.

## Affected products

- ProfilePress ProfilePress up to and including 4.17.2

## Timeline

- 2026-09-19: disclosed

## References

- [https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wp-user-avatar/tags/4.17.2/src/Classes/EditUserProfile.php](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wp-user-avatar/tags/4.17.2/src/Classes/EditUserProfile.php)
- [https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wp-user-avatar/tags/4.17.2/src/Functions/GlobalFunctions.php](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wp-user-avatar/tags/4.17.2/src/Functions/GlobalFunctions.php)

## Related threats

- [ProfilePress WordPress plugin missing authorization in checkout membership plan change](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-123661-the-profilepress-wordpress-plugin-before-4-17-4-does-not-check)
- [ProfilePress WordPress plugin access control bypass via negative plan ID](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-123657-the-profilepress-wordpress-plugin-before-4-17-6-does-not-reject)
- [ProfilePress WordPress plugin access control bypass via REST API](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-123656-the-profilepress-wordpress-plugin-before-4-17-6-does-not)
- [ProfilePress reflected XSS in file upload filename parameter](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-92551-the-paid-membership-plugin-ecommerce-user-registration-form-login)
- [ProfilePress plugin for WordPress sensitive information exposure](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-92536-the-paid-membership-plugin-ecommerce-user-registration-form-login)