Plugin Name	WordPress Product Addons for Woocommerce
Type of Vulnerability	Arbitrary Code Execution
CVE Number	CVE-2026-2296
Urgency	Medium
CVE Publish Date	2026-02-18
Source URL	CVE-2026-2296

Urgent Security Advisory: Arbitrary Code Execution in “Product Addons for WooCommerce” (<= 3.1.0) — What WP-Firewall Customers Need to Know

Date: 18 Feb 2026
CVE: CVE-2026-2296
CVSS: 7.2 (High / Medium severity classification)
Affected versions: <= 3.1.0
Fixed in: 3.1.1
Required privilege to exploit: authenticated user with Shop Manager role (or equivalent privileges)

As the security team behind WP-Firewall, we monitor the WordPress ecosystem continuously for vulnerabilities that put websites at risk. Today we’re sharing an in-depth, practical analysis of a new authenticated code-injection vulnerability in the popular Product Addons for WooCommerce plugin. We explain how the issue works at a high level, why it’s dangerous, how to detect exploitation, immediate and medium-term mitigations (including virtual patching with a WAF), and a post-incident checklist — all written for site owners, administrators, and technical teams who run WooCommerce stores.

This advisory is written to be actionable and pragmatic. If you manage WooCommerce shops, please read carefully and implement the mitigations below right away.

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Executive summary

• A code-injection vulnerability affecting Product Addons for WooCommerce (versions <= 3.1.0) allows an authenticated Shop Manager (or any role with equivalent privileges) to inject and execute arbitrary code via the plugin’s conditional-logic “operator” parameter.
• Because the vulnerability allows arbitrary code execution on the server, it can result in full site compromise (backdoors, data exfiltration, defacement, malware).
• The plugin author released a fix in version 3.1.1. Update immediately.
• If you cannot update immediately, WP-Firewall customers can apply a virtual patch / WAF rule that mitigates typical exploitation patterns until you can upgrade.
• Follow the incident response checklist below if you suspect a compromise.

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What is the vulnerability (high-level, non-exploitative)

The plugin exposes functionality that evaluates conditional logic for addon display/behavior. One of the inputs accepted is an operator parameter used inside the plugin’s conditional logic processing. In affected versions the operator input was insufficiently validated and was used in a way that allowed an authenticated user with Shop Manager privileges to submit crafted values that get interpreted/executed on the server, resulting in arbitrary code execution.

Important notes:

• The vulnerability requires an authenticated account with Shop Manager privileges (or an account that has been granted equivalent plugin capabilities). It is not an unauthenticated remote code execution.
• The attack vector is a business-logic / input-validation flaw in how conditional logic configuration is processed — not a WordPress core bug.
• Because the vulnerability can lead to arbitrary code execution, it enables post-exploitation activities such as creating backdoors, escalating privilege, modifying code or database entries, and installing malware.

We are deliberately keeping the technical description high-level. Publishing full proof-of-concept exploit details would increase risk to sites that have not yet patched.

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Why this is dangerous for WooCommerce sites

1. Arbitrary code execution (RCE) on a WordPress host is one of the most severe class of flaws. An attacker can:
   • Install persistence mechanisms (backdoors/webshells)
   • Steal credentials and sensitive data (customer orders, payment tokens stored in DB if any)
   • Modify or redirect orders
   • Modify site content or monetize compromised sites (spam, SEO abuse)
   • Use the server as a pivot point into other systems on the same network
2. Attackers often target eCommerce sites because of the potential to harvest customer information and payment data — whether directly stored or through payment processor session tokens.
3. Although the attack requires authenticated access, many sites grant Shop Manager privileges to multiple staff, third-party integrators, or long-forgotten accounts that remain active. Compromised credentials (phished, reused passwords) are common.

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Immediate actions (what to do in the next 60–120 minutes)

1. Update Product Addons for WooCommerce to version 3.1.1 immediately.
   • If you manage multiple sites, prioritize production stores first.
2. If you cannot update immediately, take the following temporary steps:
   • Restrict or disable Shop Manager accounts until you can patch. On a multi-admin team, coordinate with stakeholders.
   • Remove or temporarily suspend any third-party accounts or service accounts that have Shop Manager or similar privileges.
   • Ensure WP-Firewall protections (if installed) have the virtual patch enabled — our team has published mitigation rules that block exploitation patterns for this vulnerability.
3. Rotate passwords and API keys for accounts with elevated privileges (Shop Manager and administrators). Ensure password resets are enforced for those accounts.
4. Check for suspicious admin users or accounts added recently. Use WP-CLI or the WordPress Users screen:
   • WP-CLI example: wp user list --role=shop_manager
   • If you find accounts you don’t recognize, disable them and investigate.
5. Increase logging and monitoring. If you have access logs, PHP logs, application logs or an EDR, enable higher verbosity and retain logs for at least 30 days.

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Medium-term and forensic steps (next 24–72 hours)

1. File integrity and filesystem checks
   • Scan the wp-content/uploads, wp-content/plugins, wp-content/themes, and wp-includes directories for recently modified files.
   • Look for files with <?php tags in upload directories, uncommon filenames, or PHP files where none are expected.
2. Database checks
   • Look for suspicious scheduled events (wp_options → cron jobs), new admin users, or edits to theme/plugin files stored in the DB (some plugins store code as options).
   • Check post content and options for injected JavaScript or iframes.
3. Malware scanning
   • Run your malware scanner and look for webshells. WP-Firewall includes a malware scanner; run a full scan.
   • If you have a separate security scanner, run it too and compare results.
4. Identify indicators of compromise (IoCs)
   • Look for outbound connections to IPs/domains you do not control from your webserver.
   • Search webserver logs for requests that include suspicious payloads in operator or conditional-logic parameters.
5. If compromised:
   • Bring the site offline (maintenance mode) or disconnect it from the network to limit attacker actions.
   • Restore from a known-good backup taken before the suspected compromise, but only after you identify and close the vulnerability vector (update plugin).
   • Consider engaging a professional incident response provider if sensitive customer or payment data may have been exposed.

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WP-Firewall mitigation options (how our WAF protects you)

As a managed Web Application Firewall vendor, WP-Firewall offers immediate mitigation options you can enable before or alongside updating the plugin:

1. Virtual patching (recommended while you update)
   • WP-Firewall can apply rules that block suspicious values for the operator parameter in requests to plugin endpoints before they reach WordPress.
   • These rules are designed to be conservative: allow known-safe operator tokens (==, !=, >, <, contains, starts_with, ends_with, regex) and block requests containing characters or tokens indicative of code injection (PHP tags, backticks, shell meta-characters, suspicious function calls such as exec(, system(, passthru(, eval(, create_function(, preg_replace with /e, etc). The rule also monitors for control characters and unusually long operator strings.
2. Endpoint hardening
   • Block direct access to plugin admin endpoints (AJAX actions or plugin-specific pages) from IPs that should not access admin UI.
   • For admin-ajax requests accepting operator data, require strong referer checks and valid nonces, and rate-limit requests.
3. Role-based anomaly alerts
   • WP-Firewall can alert if a Shop Manager account performs unusual operations (e.g., creating or updating conditional logic entries programmatically).
4. Behavioral detection
   • The WAF watches for requests that attempt to create or edit plugin configuration and triggers deeper inspection if patterns match known exploitation attempts.

If you are a WP-Firewall user, ensure your rules are up to date — we pushed a mitigation rule for this vulnerability immediately after advisory publication. If you are not yet a user, the section below explains our free plan and how it can help you.

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How to design WAF rules to mitigate this class of vulnerability (technical guidance for defenders)

Below are practical patterns you can use to craft WAF rules. These are high-level and intended for experienced administrators: never deploy overly broad rules that block legitimate traffic.

1. Allowlist acceptable operator tokens
   • Accept only the specific operator tokens known to the plugin (documented operator set). Reject any operator value that contains non-alphanumeric characters beyond the small safe set used by the plugin (e.g., hyphen, underscore).
   • Example logic:
     • If param operator matches ^(==|!=|>|<|>=|<=|contains|starts_with|ends_with|regex)$ → allow
     • Else → block / flag for manual review
2. Block strings that look like code:
   • If operator contains any of: <?php, ?>, eval(, system(, exec(, passthru(, shell_exec(, base64_decode(, create_function(, backtick (`), \x00 (null), ; followed by PHP code, or suspicious escape sequences → block.
3. Length and character set limits:
   • If operator length > 50 characters → block (unless the plugin legitimately accepts longer values)
   • Limit allowed characters to a safe subset (letters, digits, underscores, hyphens). Reject operator values with parentheses or curly braces.
4. Monitor for encoded payloads:
   • Block / flag operator values that look like base64 strings, large percent-encoded payloads, or contain sequences like %3C%3Fphp (encoded <?php).
5. Protect admin-oriented endpoints:
   • Rate-limit POST requests to endpoints that change addon or condition configurations.
   • Require valid WordPress nonces and enforce referer checks in the application code where possible.

Notes:
- Do not rely on WAF alone. WAF provides important protection while you patch, but you must update the vulnerable plugin to fully close the vulnerability.
- Test WAF rules in a non-production environment where possible to prevent false positives.

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Detection: logs and indicators to look for

If you suspect someone attempted exploitation, inspect:

• Webserver access logs for POSTs to plugin admin endpoints (e.g., URLs under wp-admin or plugin-specific REST/AJAX endpoints) with suspicious operator parameter values.
• PHP error logs for fatal errors or warnings from the plugin code just before or after admin actions.
• Recent plugin configuration changes: in the WordPress admin, review plugin settings and conditional logic entries for unexpected or newly added rules.
• File system changes: new PHP files in uploads or plugin directories, modified core or theme files.
• Outbound network activity: spikes in outbound traffic or connections to IPs/domains you do not recognize originating from the webserver.

Example WP-CLI queries useful for triage:

• List users with Shop Manager role:
  • wp user list --role=shop_manager --fields=ID,user_login,user_email,display_name,user_registered
• Find files changed in last N days (from server shell):
  • find /path/to/site -type f -mtime -7 -print
• Search for suspicious strings:
  • grep -R --line-number -E "(eval\(|base64_decode\(|shell_exec\(|<?php)" /path/to/site

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Hardening recommendations (preventive measures)

1. Principle of least privilege
   • Limit the number of accounts with Shop Manager access. Only trusted employees should have that role.
   • Use per-person accounts rather than shared credentials.
2. Enforce strong authentication
   • Enforce strong passwords and encourage passphrases.
   • Use 2-factor authentication (2FA) for all accounts with elevated privileges.
3. Limit admin area access
   • Restrict wp-admin and login endpoints by IP where possible (e.g., allow only office IPs).
   • Use reverse proxies or HTTP authentication for staging and admin areas if appropriate.
4. Regular updates
   • Keep WordPress core, themes, and plugins updated.
   • Enable automatic updates for minor and security releases where safe.
5. Staging and testing
   • Test plugin updates in a staging environment before pushing to production, especially on complex stores.
6. Backup often and test restores
   • Have automated backups with retention and ensure you can restore quickly.
   • Keep at least one offsite backup that is isolated from the webserver to prevent attacker deletion.
7. Monitoring and alerting
   • Implement file integrity monitoring, activity logging, and alerts for user creation or role changes.

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If you believe you’ve been compromised: incident response checklist

1. Take the site into maintenance mode / offline if you suspect active exploitation.
2. Isolate the server (if possible) to prevent lateral movement.
3. Rotate passwords for all privileged accounts and change API keys.
4. Revoke all nonessential credentials and sessions (force logout all users).
   • WordPress: use the “Sessions” or a plugin to destroy all sessions.
5. Restore from a clean backup taken prior to compromise. Confirm the backup is free of backdoors.
6. Patch the vulnerability (update plugin to 3.1.1) before bringing the site back online.
7. Re-scan the restored environment for backdoors and persistence.
8. Check for data exfiltration; if customer data may have been exposed, follow your legal and regulatory obligations and notify affected parties as required.
9. Consider an independent forensic review if suspected data breaches involve sensitive customer information.

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Why updating is essential — and why WAF is an important stopgap

Updating to the vendor-fixed release is the only reliable way to permanently remediate this vulnerability. However, real-world constraints (testing requirements, deployment windows, internal approvals) can slow immediate patching. A managed WAF provides critical protections in the interim:

• Stops exploitation attempts at the edge.
• Buys time to test and deploy the plugin update safely.
• Alerts you to suspicious activity targeted at the vulnerable plugin.

But remember: WAFs are mitigations, not permanent substitutes for applying security fixes.

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Common questions we get from customers

Q: “If only Shop Managers can exploit this, is my site safe because we don’t have Shop Managers?”
A: Check all user roles and capabilities. Some stores create custom roles or change capabilities. Use WP-CLI or an admin review to confirm. Also make sure no stale accounts or third-party services have elevated access.

Q: “Can I safely disable the plugin until the patch is applied?”
A: If disabling the plugin doesn’t break critical site functionality (checkout flows, product rendering), disabling it is a valid short-term mitigation. Be aware that disabling a plugin may cause temporary site behavior changes — test accordingly.

Q: “Should I enforce auto-updates for this plugin?”
A: Automatic updates are generally recommended for security patches. If you have a complex store, test automatically updating only minor/security releases first, or use staged auto-updates.

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Example rule strategy for virtual patching (do not copy-paste blindly)

The following is a conceptual outline a security engineer can adapt to their WAF:

• Step 1: Allowlist known good operator values. Any submission with operator outside that set is blocked or flagged.
• Step 2: Block common code indicators (<?php, eval(, base64_, backticks, system(, exec(, passthru().
• Step 3: Rate-limit POSTs to plugin endpoints that modify conditional logic.
• Step 4: Alert on successful POSTs that change plugin configuration from IPs or sessions that have unusual patterns (first-time admin IP, new device).

Important: Test rules to avoid blocking legitimate admin use. Use “block + log” or “log-only” mode initially, then escalate to block mode after validating.

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Sample email/communication template to internal teams

Subject: Security advisory — Immediate plugin update required for Product Addons for WooCommerce

Body:

• We received an advisory for Product Addons for WooCommerce (<= 3.1.0) that allows authenticated Shop Managers to inject code. CVE-2026-2296.
• Action items:
  1. Update plugin to 3.1.1 on production and staging immediately. If you cannot update, restrict Shop Manager accounts and enable WP-Firewall mitigation rules.
  2. Rotate passwords for all Shop Manager and admin accounts.
  3. Enable additional monitoring and review recent logs for suspicious activity.
• Contact: [Your security contact / WP-Firewall support link]

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Practical next steps for WP-Firewall customers

1. Confirm your site is running Product Addons for WooCommerce and its version.
2. Update plugin to 3.1.1.
3. Ensure WP-Firewall is running the latest rule set (we published a mitigation immediately).
4. Review Shop Manager accounts and rotate credentials.
5. Run a full malware scan and file integrity check.

If you want WP-Firewall to apply virtual patching and scanning automatically, enable the mitigation ruleset in your dashboard and contact support for assistance.

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New plan for small sites: Start protecting your store with WP-Firewall’s free plan

Title: Protect your WooCommerce store today with essential managed security — free

If you’re looking for a quick and effective way to add a protection layer while you patch or harden, WP-Firewall’s free Basic plan offers essential protection that’s ideal for busy store owners:

• What the Basic (Free) plan provides:
  • Managed firewall with ruleset updates
  • Unlimited bandwidth through the WAF
  • Web Application Firewall (WAF) protecting against common attack patterns
  • Malware scanner to help find suspicious files and indicators
  • Mitigation for OWASP Top 10 risks

This plan is a low-friction way to stop common attacks and provide a proven layer of defense while you test and apply plugin updates. Sign up for the free Basic plan here: https://my.wp-firewall.com/buy/wp-firewall-free-plan/

(If you need automatic malware removal, whitelisting/blacklisting IPs, monthly reports, auto virtual patching or a managed security service, our paid tiers provide those extras.)

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Final recommendations — prioritized checklist

1. Update plugin Product Addons for WooCommerce to 3.1.1 (top priority).
2. If immediate update is impossible, enable WAF virtual patching that blocks suspicious operator payloads.
3. Audit Shop Manager and administrator accounts; rotate credentials and enforce 2FA.
4. Run a full malware scan and a file integrity check.
5. Keep detailed logs and look for anomalous admin activity from the past 30 days.
6. Restore from a known-good backup if you confirm compromise — patch first before going live.
7. Harden admin access and apply the principle of least privilege going forward.

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Closing thoughts

Authenticated code-injection vulnerabilities like CVE-2026-2296 are reminders that even plugins intended to add convenience (conditional logic for product addons) can introduce severe risk if inputs are not strictly validated and handled safely. The combination of privileged roles like Shop Manager and flexible plugin features is a natural target for attackers.

Mitigation requires both immediate remediation (update the plugin) and operational security controls (least privilege, 2FA, monitoring). A managed WAF like WP-Firewall provides a critical protective layer while you implement fixes and audit your environment.

If you’d like assistance with detection, virtual patching, or incident response, WP-Firewall support can help you assess exposure and mitigate risk quickly. Protect your store proactively — the time to act is now.