PLUGIN SECURITY
Is Yoast SEO safe?
Real-time SEO guidance, schema, and AI built in. Help search engines and AI systems understand your content. All AI tools included, no hidden fees.
What this plugin does
- Slug:
wordpress-seo - Author: Yoast
- 10000000+ active installs
- 96/100 rating (27818 reviews on wordpress.org)
- 991166513 all-time downloads
- On WordPress.org since 2010-10-11
Content analysisReadabilityschemaseoxml sitemap
Maintenance status
- Latest known version: 28.2
- Last updated: 2026-08-18 4:48am GMT
- Tested up to WordPress: 7.1
- Requires PHP: 7.4+
- Max supported PHP (analyzed): 8.4
Known vulnerabilities
15 known CVEs on file for Yoast SEO.
| CVE | Vulnerability | Type | Severity | Affected | Fixed in | Published | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2025-14481 | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 26.6 | Missing Authorization | Medium 4.3 | < 26.6 | 26.6 | 2026-05-26 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| CVE-2024-4984 | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 22.7 | Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') | Medium 6.4 | < 22.7 | 22.7 | 2024-05-14 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| CVE-2024-4041 | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 22.6 | Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') | Medium 6.1 | < 22.6 | 22.6 | 2024-05-06 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| CVE-2023-40680 | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 21.1 | Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') | Medium 5.9 | < 21.1 | 21.1 | 2023-11-24 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 20.2.1 | — | Unknown | < 20.2.1 | 20.2.1 | 2023-03-03 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 20.2.1 | — | Unknown | < 20.2.1 | 20.2.1 | 2023-03-02 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| CVE-2021-25118 | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 17.3 | Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor | Medium 5.3 | < 17.3 | 17.3 | 2021-10-05 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| CVE-2019-13478 | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 11.6 | Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') | Critical 9.8 | < 11.6 | 11.6 | 2019-07-09 | ✓ fixed in latest |
+ 33 more known vulnerabilities
| CVE | Vulnerability | Type | Severity | Affected | Fixed in | Published | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 9.2.0 | — | Unknown | < 9.2.0 | 9.2.0 | 2018-11-20 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| CVE-2018-19370 | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 9.2.0 | Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition') | Medium 6.6 | < 9.2.0 | 9.2.0 | 2018-11-06 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 5.8.0 | — | Unknown | < 5.8.0 | 5.8.0 | 2017-11-20 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| CVE-2017-16842 | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 5.8.0 | Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') | Medium 4.8 | < 5.8.0 | 5.8.0 | 2017-11-16 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 3.3.2 | — | Unknown | < 3.3.2 | 3.3.2 | 2017-05-11 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 3.4.1 | — | Unknown | < 3.4.1 | 3.4.1 | 2016-08-03 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| CVE-2021-24153 | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 3.4.1 | Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') | Medium 5.4 | < 3.4.1 | 3.4.1 | 2016-08-02 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 1.4.5 | — | Unknown | < 1.4.5 | 1.4.5 | 2016-07-28 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 1.4.7 | — | Unknown | < 1.4.7 | 1.4.7 | 2016-07-28 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 3.3.0 | — | Unknown | < 3.3.0 | 3.3.0 | 2016-06-14 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 3.3.0 | — | Unknown | < 3.3.0 | 3.3.0 | 2016-06-14 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 3.2.5 | — | Unknown | < 3.2.5 | 3.2.5 | 2016-05-06 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 3.2.5 | — | Unknown | < 3.2.5 | 3.2.5 | 2016-05-06 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 2.1 | — | Unknown | < 2.1 | 2.1 | 2015-04-20 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 2.1 | — | Unknown | < 2.1 | 2.1 | 2015-04-20 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| CVE-2015-2292, CVE-2015-2293 | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 1.7.4 | Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') | Unknown | < 1.7.4 | 1.7.4 | 2015-03-11 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| CVE-2015-2293 | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 1.7.4 | Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) | Unknown | < 1.7.4 | 1.7.4 | 2015-03-10 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 1.4.7 | — | Unknown | < 1.4.7 | 1.4.7 | 2014-08-01 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| CVE-2012-6692 | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 2.2 | Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') | Unknown | < 2.2 | 2.2 | 2012-10-31 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 27.2 | — | Unknown | < 27.2 | 27.2 | 0000-00-00 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 26.9 | — | Unknown | < 26.9 | 26.9 | 0000-00-00 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 28.1 | — | Unknown | < 28.1 | 28.1 | 0000-00-00 | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 3.3.0 | — | Unknown | < 3.3.0 | 3.3.0 | — | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 3.2.5 | — | Unknown | < 3.2.5 | 3.2.5 | — | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 1.4.7 | — | Unknown | < 1.4.7 | 1.4.7 | — | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI [wordpress-seo] < 1.4.5 | — | Unknown | < 1.4.5 | 1.4.5 | — | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO - Security issue which allowed any user to reset settings | — | Unknown | < 1.4.5 | 1.4.5 | — | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO < 1.4.7 - Reset Settings Feature Access Restriction Bypass | — | Unknown | < 1.4.7 | 1.4.7 | — | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO <= 3.2.4 - Subscriber Settings Sensitive Data Exposure | — | Unknown | < 3.2.5 | 3.2.5 | — | ✓ fixed in latest |
| — | Yoast SEO < 3.3.0 - Unspecified Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) | — | Unknown | < 3.3.0 | 3.3.0 | — | ✓ fixed in latest |
| CVE-2026-1293 | Yoast SEO < 26.9 - Contributor+ Stored XSS | — | Unknown | < 26.9 | 26.9 | — | ✓ fixed in latest |
| CVE-2026-3427 | Yoast SEO < 27.2 - Contributor+ Stored XSS via 'jsonText' Block Attribute | — | Unknown | < 27.2 | 27.2 | — | ✓ fixed in latest |
| CVE-2026-15425 | Yoast SEO < 28.1 - Author+ Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Post Slug | — | Unknown | < 28.1 | 28.1 | — | ✓ fixed in latest |
How to fix it
Keep Yoast SEO updated — 28.2 is the latest version on wordpress.org, and each CVE above lists the exact release that fixed it ("Fixed in").
This is the plugin's full known vulnerability history, not a scan of any specific installation — run a free scan of your own site to check your exact installed version.
Safer / more established alternatives
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Check your own WordPress site
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