Last month in November 2025, the Wordfence Bug Bounty Program received 746 vulnerability submissions from our growing community of security researchers working to improve the overall security posture of the WordPress ecosystem. These submissions are reviewed, triaged, and processed by the Wordfence Threat Intelligence team, with validated vulnerabilities responsibly disclosed to vendors, often through the Wordfence Vulnerability Management Portal, and protected through the Wordfence Firewall where appropriate. Our mission with the Wordfence Bug Bounty Program is to engage the broader security community in identifying and responsibly disclosing vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins and themes, so we can get them patched before attackers discover them. This collaborative effort enables Wordfence to accelerate patch adoption, provide early protection to millions of websites, and ensure that high-quality vulnerability intelligence reaches the WordPress ecosystem as efficiently as possible. It also ensures that we are able to remediate vulnerabilities before attackers are able to discover them and start exploiting them. That is why we reward researchers for valid submissions, and why we remain committed to processing every report with transparency, accuracy, and urgency. Join the Wordfence Bug Bounty Program Help secure the WordPress ecosystem while earning rewards for your security research. We’re actively seeking skilled researchers to identify vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins and themes, with prompt payments and transparent processes. Start Your Security Research Journey As the most comprehensive and highest-quality WordPress vulnerability program, the Wordfence Bug Bounty Program plays a critical role in helping site owners, developers, and hosting providers stay ahead of emerging threats at all stages of the open source lifecycle. In this report, we highlight key metrics of the Bug Bounty Program from November 2025, recognize the researchers contributing to WordPress security, and provide insight into the vulnerabilities uncovered and addressed. If you’re interested in joining the program or learning more about how we responsibly manage disclosures and protect WordPress users, visit the Bug Bounty Program page. Table of Contents Program Submission Highlights – November 2025 WordPress Software Vulnerability Submission Insights – November 2025 Bounty Insights – November 2025 Top WordPress Security Researchers – November 2025 Current WordPress Bug Bounty Program Promotions Critical WordPress Software Vulnerability Highlights – November 2025 Conclusion   Program Submission Highlights – November 2025 The Wordfence Bug Bounty Program is designed for momentum: rapid triage of critical issues, clear feedback, and fast, fair rewards. Each submission moves through our standardized workflow of validation, vendor coordination, patch verification, and firewall coverage where applicable, so research translates into real-world protection quickly. Real-Time Protection Impact Every vulnerability disclosed through this program is a threat you don’t have to face blindly. Our researchers uncover and report vulnerabilities before they can be exploited, and Wordfence Premium, Care and Response users get protection in real-time through our firewall. Free users are protected in 30 days. Behind the numbers is meaningful impact for site owners. The issues surfaced here inform new firewall rules, strengthen our detection logic, and help vendors ship safer releases. If you’re new to bounty hunting, this is a great place to start: we publish scope clearly, pay promptly, and credit the work that keeps WordPress secure. Total Submissions 746 +53.5% from last month Active Researchers 131 +32.3% from last month High Threat 37 +117.6% from last month Common & Dangerous 22 -4.3% from last month WAF Rules Released 6 -25.0% from last month   Vulnerability Focus Areas High Threat Vulnerabilities: Issues that could result in full site compromise, such as Arbitrary File Uploads or Remote Code Execution. Must be exploitable by unauthenticated or low-level authenticated attackers with software having 25+ active installations. Common & Dangerous: Stored Cross-Site Scripting and SQL Injection vulnerabilities exploitable by unauthenticated or low-level authenticated attackers. Software must have 500+ active installations. Bounty Insights – November 2025 Our research powers real investment back into the community. This section totals bounties and bonuses paid for the month and showcases standout findings. Our philosophy is simple: reward high-quality, responsibly disclosed research that measurably reduces risk for WordPress users. Total Bounties Awarded $27,737 November 2025 Average Bounty Per Submission $175.55 Per validated in-scope submission Highest Single Bounty $4,290 Top researcher reward Top 5 Bounties Awarded Vulnerability Bounty Install Count Advanced Custom Fields: Extended 0.9.0.5 – 0.9.1.1 – Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution in prepare_form $4,290.00 100,000 Starter Templates <= 4.4.41 – Authenticated (Author+) Arbitrary File Upload via WXR Upload Bypass $1,802.00 2,000,000 Authenticated (Author+) Arbitrary File Upload (In Disclosure) $1,352.00 600,000 Frontend Admin by DynamiApps <= 3.28.20 – Unauthenticated Arbitrary Options Update $1,300.00 1,0000 Kadence WooCommerce Email Designer <= 1.5.17 – Unauthenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting $1,056.00 100,000 Want to earn more? Read the scope carefully, target high-threat classes, and include clear reproduction steps with proof of impact. We pay promptly on validated issues, and bonus multipliers may apply during limited-time promotions and challenges. WordPress Software Vulnerability Submission Insights – November 2025 This section breaks down how reports map to our program outcomes. What’s in scope, what isn’t, and where the highest security impact typically sits. We highlight the most common in-scope vulnerability classes and the categories that yielded the largest rewards so researchers can focus their efforts where they matter most. Authentication level and exploit preconditions drive risk and reward through our program. Unauthenticated and low-privilege paths tend to have outsized impact because they scale to more real-world compromise. Use these insights to prioritize your testing strategy and maximize both security value and bounty potential. Total Number of Vulnerabilities Considered In Scope, Out of Scope, Rejected, or Duplicate In Scope Out of Scope Rejected Duplicate 158 307 166 115 Top 10 Most Commonly Submitted In-Scope Vulnerability Types The most frequently submitted vulnerability types highlight current testing focus areas across the researcher community. These patterns often reflect both ease of discovery and prevalence in the WordPress ecosystem. Vulnerability Type Total Submissions Total Rewards Avg. Reward CWE 79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation (‘Cross-site Scripting’) 43 $5,925.00 $137.79 CWE 862: Missing Authorization 31 $3,725.00 $120.16 CWE 434: Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type 16 $4,917.00 $307.31 CWE 269: Improper Privilege Management 9 $622.00 $69.11 CWE 89: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command (‘SQL Injection’) 8 $2,706.00 $338.25 CWE 200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor 5 $643.00 $128.60 CWE 352: Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) 5 $110.00 $22.00 CWE 639: Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key 5 $1,503.00 $300.60 CWE 22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory (‘Path Traversal’) 4 $479.00 $119.75 CWE 94: Improper Control of Generation of Code (‘Code Injection’) 4 $5,666.00 $1,416.50   Top 10 Highest Rewarded In-Scope Vulnerability Types While some vulnerabilities appear frequently, others command premium rewards. This breakdown shows which vulnerability classes generated the highest total payouts, indicating both severity and exploitability value. Vulnerability Type Total Rewards Total Submissions Avg. Reward CWE 79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation (‘Cross-site Scripting’) $5,925.00 43 $137.79 CWE 94: Improper Control of Generation of Code (‘Code Injection’) $5,666.00 4 $1,416.50 CWE 434: Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type $4,917.00 16 $307.31 CWE 862: Missing Authorization $3,725.00 31 $120.16 CWE 89: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command (‘SQL Injection’) $2,706.00 8 $338.25 CWE 639: Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key $1,503.00 5 $300.60 CWE 200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor $643.00 5 $128.60 CWE 269: Improper Privilege Management $622.00 9 $69.11 CWE 22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory (‘Path Traversal’) $479.00 4 $119.75 CWE 73: External Control of File Name or Path $450.00 3 $150.00 In-Scope Vulnerability Distribution by Authentication Level Authentication requirements directly impact real-world exploitability. Unauthenticated and subscriber-level vulnerabilities typically pose greater risk, reflected in both our prioritization and reward structure. Authentication Level Total Vulnerabilities Avg. Reward Unauthenticated 55 $331.50 Contributor 40 $43.18 Subscriber 34 $147.37 Author 14 $334.86 Unauthenticated – UI Required 12 $89.58   Vulnerability Submission Install Count Spread Install counts help us gauge blast radius. Higher install bases can move a finding into higher priority and often correlate with stronger payouts, while smaller-but-critical ecosystems still qualify when the exploitability and impact warrant it. Install Range Total Vulnerabilities Average CVSS Avg. Reward 1,000–49,999 61 7.10 $147.34 100,000–999,999 42 5.86 $376.64 50,000–99,999 29 5.91 $113.25 0–499 19 9.43 $27.11 1,000,000–4,999,999 3 6.50 $649.33 500–999 3 7.80 $47.33 5,000,000+ 1 6.40 $288.00   Top WordPress Security Researchers – November 2025 Security is a team sport, and this leaderboard celebrates the people raising the bar. We recognize contributors by valid in-scope submissions, overall earnings, and average severity to highlight different paths to excellence. Top 5 Researchers based on Volume of In-Scope Submissions Volume leaders demonstrate consistent vulnerability discovery across diverse targets. These researchers excel at systematic testing and maintaining high validation rates. Researcher Total Submissions Avg. Reward Muhammad Yudha – DJ 20 $20.90 Marcin Dudek (dudekmar) 9 $621.89 shark3y 8 $420.50 Dmitrii Ignatyev 7 $25.57 kr0d 7 $111.00 Top 5 Researchers Based on Average CVSS of In-Scope Submissions Quality over quantity defines these researchers who consistently identify high-severity vulnerabilities. Their average CVSS scores reflect expertise in finding critical security gaps. Researcher Average CVSS Total Submissions Avg. Reward Ryan Kozak 9.87 3 $143.33 Foxyyy 9.80 3 $358.00 Alyudin Nafiie 9.80 1 $33.00 シルAsuna 9.80 7 $33.00 mikemyers 8.80 6 $704.50 Top 5 Researchers Based On Total Bounties Earned Combining volume with severity, these top earners maximized their impact and rewards through strategic vulnerability research and comprehensive reporting. Researcher Total Earned Total Submissions Avg. Reward Marcin Dudek (dudekmar) $5,597.00 9 $621.89 mikemyers $4,227.00 6 $704.50 shark3y $3,364.00 8 $420.50 YC_Infosec $2,454.00 3 $818.00 Supakiad S. (m3ez) $1,417.00 4 $354.25 Researchers Promoted to the Next Tier Congratulations to the following researchers who have unlocked the next tier! Tier promotions reflect sustained performance, precision, and professionalism in disclosure. Advancing unlocks higher caps, faster reviews, and more visibility. If you’re climbing the ranks, focus on high risk vulnerabilities, keep reports crisp, attach working PoCs, and include mitigation notes vendors can ship quickly. Elite Researcher Tier (1337) 0 researchers advanced to elite status No Elite Researcher Promotions No researchers advanced to elite (1337) status this month Resourceful Researcher Tier 1 researcher advanced to resourceful status Supakiad S. (m3ez) Advanced to resourceful researcher status Current WordPress Bug Bounty Program Promotions From time to time, we expand scope and add bonuses to accelerate research in high-impact areas. Below you’ll find any active challenges with their timelines and a quick summary of how rewards are calculated. No promotions currently running. New to promotions? Start by confirming the software and version range are in scope, validate exploitability on a clean test environment, and submit with clear steps, affected code paths, and impact. Promotions are perfect opportunities for both new and seasoned researchers to maximize earnings while driving faster patch adoption. And remember, you can always check what’s in-scope and out-of-scope by using the Wordfence bounty estimator. Critical WordPress Software Vulnerability Highlights – November 2025 These case studies spotlight high-impact vulnerabilities uncovered through the program, why they matter, and how quickly protection rolled out. We share technical detail to help researchers learn, vendors harden code, and users understand why timely updates aren’t optional. If you maintain a site, update to the patched versions listed and ensure Wordfence is active so you benefit from new firewall coverage as it ships. If you’re a researcher, use these write-ups to inform your hunt: patterns repeat, and past root causes often reappear in adjacent code. 100,000 WordPress Sites Affected by Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in AI Engine WordPress Plugin AI Engine <= 3.1.3 – Unauthenticated Sensitive Information Exposure to Privilege Escalation Submitted by: Emiliano Versini Bounty Awarded: $2,145.00 Technical Details: The AI Engine plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Sensitive Information Exposure in all versions up to, and including, 3.1.3 via the /mcp/v1/ REST API endpoint that exposes the ‘Bearer Token’ value when ‘No-Auth URL’ is enabled. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to extract the bearer token, which can be used to gain access to a valid session and perform many actions like creating a new administrator account, leading to privilege escalation. Read the complete vulnerability analysis   400,000 WordPress Sites Affected by Account Takeover Vulnerability in Post SMTP WordPress Plugin Post SMTP – Complete SMTP Solution with Logs, Alerts, Backup SMTP & Mobile App <= 3.6.0 – Missing Authorization to Account Takeover via Unauthenticated Email Log Disclosure Submitted by: netranger Bounty Awarded: $7,800.00 Technical Details: The Post SMTP – Complete SMTP Solution with Logs, Alerts, Backup SMTP & Mobile App plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access of data due to a missing capability check on the __construct function in all versions up to, and including, 3.6.0. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary logged emails sent through the Post SMTP plugin, including password reset emails containing password reset links, which can lead to account takeover. Read the complete vulnerability analysis   Conclusion WordPress thrives when researchers, vendors, hosts, and site owners pull in the same direction. By funding high-quality research, coordinating responsible disclosure, and shipping firewall rules at scale, Wordfence turns findings into protection for millions of sites. If you’re a researcher, join the program and submit your next report. If you’re a site owner, update early and often, and run Wordfence to stay ahead of emerging threats. If you’re a vendor, sign up for the vulnerability management portal to receive real-time notifications when new vulnerabilities are reported in your software. Together, we make the ecosystem safer every month. 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