Plugin4Shell

Plugin4Shell is a malware strain that disguises itself as a legitimate WordPress plugin to inject malicious code into web servers. It poses a significant security risk for organizations managing WordPress-based systems, as it can lead to data breaches, unauthorized access, and compromised user information. For AI governance teams overseeing enterprise infrastructure, understanding Plugin4Shell is critical for assessing third-party plugin risks and implementing stronger vendor security requirements in compliance frameworks.

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ResearchGlobal2026-09-18

Plugin4Shell Flaw Breaks Approved-Plugin Controls Across Four Major AI Coding Agents

Researchers at cybersecurity startup AIR disclosed a zero-click remote code execution vulnerability, dubbed Plugin4Shell, affecting OpenAI Codex, Anthropic Claude Code, Google Gemini CLI, and GitHub Copilot. The flaw exploits a weakness in how these agents verify plugin integrity using Git SHA hashes, allowing an attacker who controls a plugin repository to substitute malicious code that runs even when the agent is instructed to execute a reviewed, approved version. Because affected agents typically run with full developer credentials, successful exploitation can expose source code, API keys, cloud credentials, and CI/CD pipelines.

Plugin4Shell OpenAI Codex Claude Code Gemini CLI GitHub Copilot supply chain security remote code execution agentic AI