Track vulnerabilities like this one. Sign up free to get alerted when software you use is affected.
9.8

Rank Math SEO PRO may install hidden backdoor

CVE-2026-111862 · published 16 days ago
Summary

A small number of Rank Math SEO PRO plugin packages downloaded on October 15‑16, 2026 contain hidden malicious code. If the infected plugin was activated, it could give attackers ongoing access to your site and expose passwords, database details and API keys. Replace the plugin with the new 3.0.124 version or reinstall a clean copy right away.

What to do

The CVE record does not list a fixed version. Check the vendor's site or the advisory links below - a fix may already be released.

Affected software
VendorProductAffected versions
rankmath rank math seo pro 3.0.123
Original advisory text
Rank Math SEO PRO 3.0.123 - Unauthenticated Embedded Malicious Code
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.
References
Fix within
Internet-facing 3 days
Internal 60 days
  • Not known to be exploited
  • Can be exploited automatically
  • Gives an attacker full control
Severity
9.8 Critical
Exploitation
<1% chance of attack within 30 days
Type
CWE-506Embedded Malicious Code
Timeline
Published19 Oct 2026
Updated4 Nov 2026
First seen19 Oct 2026
Sources
CVE-2026-111862 · NVD
CVE-2026-111862 · MITRE
Track software like this
Free during beta