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WebP Express EUVDEUVD-2026-108020

| CVE-2026-97328 HIGH
Cross-site Scripting (XSS) (CWE-79)
2026-10-22 WPScan GHSA-3hr8-rx2p-fg8c
7.5
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: WPScan
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Submit crafted content unauthenticated
  2. Delivery
    Stored via unescaped HTML-parser attribute re-emission
  3. Exploit
    Admin or user views affected page
  4. Execution
    Script executes in victim browser
  5. Impact
    Session/admin-context actions in WordPress

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A05:2025 - Injection
ASVS 5.0
V1 - Encoding and Sanitization Output encoding, context-aware escaping
MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques across 2 tactics: Initial Access, Execution

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Exploitation Conditions

Exploitation requires that a NON-DEFAULT image delivery mode be enabled in WebP Express (the description ties the flaw to this configuration); on default installs the vulnerable code path is not reached. The flaw is that the plugin's bundled HTML parser re-emits submitted values into element attributes without escaping, so an attacker-controlled value breaks out of the attribute context. Submission does not require authentication (PR:N). The payload is stored and only fires when a user - potentially an administrator - subsequently views the affected page (UI:R), so a viewing victim is a mandatory limiting condition. Limiting factors: non-default configuration must be active, a victim must load the page, and CVSS marks AC:H (conditions beyond the attacker's control). The precise characters/trigger the parser mishandles are not detailed in the available sources.

Impact

Signals point to a real but not emergency-level issue. The reporter-supplied CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, score 7.5) rates confidentiality, integrity and availability all High, which is unusually aggressive for a stored XSS (CWE-79); for browser-executed script the realistic impact and scope handling are debatable, so treat the 7.5 as a ceiling rather than a confirmed severity. Mitigating factors are material: AC:H plus the stated prerequisite that a non-default image delivery mode be enabled, plus UI:R (a victim must view an affected page), all reduce the practical attack surface, even though PR:N allows the malicious content to be submitted without authentication. KEV: not listed, so there is no confirmed active exploitation. EPSS: not provided in the input, so probabilistic exploitation likelihood cannot be stated. POC: a WPScan reference exists but is not verified as working exploit code. The vuln.today decision label is 'this_week', consistent with a patch-promptly posture rather than an act-now emergency. Net: a genuine, patch-this-week web-application vulnerability whose real-world risk is gated by the non-default configuration requirement and user interaction, not a widespread drive-by threat on default installs.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

On a site running WebP Express before 0.25.16 with a non-default image delivery mode enabled, an unauthenticated attacker submits crafted content containing attribute-breaking characters that the plugin's bundled HTML parser re-emits into element attributes without escaping. The payload is stored and later rendered, executing as script in the browser of any visitor who views the affected page - including a logged-in administrator, enabling session/admin-context actions. A public PoC reference exists (WPScan); it is not verified as working exploit code.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.2% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Oct 22, 2026

Stored cross-site scripting in the WebP Express WordPress plugin before 0.25.16 lets unauthenticated visitors submit values that the plugin's bundled HTML parser later re-emits into element attributes without escaping, so the payload breaks out of the attribute context and executes in the browser of anyone who loads the affected page, including administrators. The vulnerable code path is only reached when a non-default image delivery mode is enabled; default installations do not exercise it, and the stored payload only fires when a victim views the page, which is why the assessed vector carries UI:R and AC:H despite PR:N. A public PoC reference exists in the WPScan entry but is not verified as working exploit code, and there is no CISA KEV confirmation of active exploitation; vendor patch 0.25.16 is available and the issue is prioritized as this_week rather than emergency-level.

RemediationAI

Update WebP Express to version 0.25.16 or later, which is the vendor-released fixed version per the WPScan advisory (https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/f44cb329-fb2e-4fb1-b878-8b52b0c769cc/); the fix is in the plugin release itself, so the standard WordPress admin-plugin update or a wp-cli plugin update is sufficient. As a compensating control, switch the plugin's image delivery mode back to the default setting, since the vulnerable parser path is only reached under a non-default delivery mode; the trade-off is loss of whatever delivery method the site was relying on (for example converted-asset HTML rewriting), which may change how images are served until the update can be applied. Reviewing stored content and plugin-generated markup for injected attributes is also advisable given the payload persists, but the definitive fix is the 0.25.16 upgrade. No additional compensating controls are specified in the available sources.

Affected VersionsENISA

WebP Express 0 <0.25.16

Affected Packages

euvd webp_express fix: 0.25.16

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

WebP Express is a WordPress image-optimization plugin that converts and serves WebP variants of media; in certain non-default image delivery modes it rewrites or parses generated HTML markup so that references point at converted assets. Its bundled HTML parser does not escape values that it re-emits into element attributes, the classic CWE-79 pattern of improper neutralization of input during web page generation, where an attacker-controlled value terminates the attribute quoting and injects new attributes or event handlers. Because the injected content is persisted and rendered from the plugin's own output, this is a stored (persistent) XSS rather than reflected. The CPE supplied is a placeholder namespace (cpe:2.3:a:unknown:webp_express) covering all versions of the plugin, with the EUVD entry narrowing the affected range to 0 through versions below 0.25.16; the exact characters or parser construct that is mishandled is not described in the available sources. The published CVSS 3.1 base of 7.5 (AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) is more severe than our assessed CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N, which treats the impact as scoped to the victim's browser session with limited confidentiality and integrity rather than full host compromise.

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Severity by source

Vendor (WPScan) PRIMARY 7.5 HIGH
AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
vuln.today AI 4.7 MEDIUM

Unauthenticated remote submission (PR:N); non-default mode must be enabled, raising AC:H; stored script runs in the victim browser (S:C, UI:R) with limited C/I and no availability impact - hence lower than the reporter's C:H/I:H/A:H.

3.1 AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
4.0 AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:L/SI:L/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (WPScan).

CVSS VectorVendor: WPScan

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
High
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

4
CVSS changed
Oct 22, 2026 - 11:22 NVD
7.5 (HIGH)
Patch available
Oct 22, 2026 - 07:01 EUVD
CVE Published
Oct 22, 2026 - 06:00 cve.org
HIGH 7.5
CVE Published
Oct 22, 2026 - 06:00 cve.org
UNKNOWN (no severity yet)

DescriptionCVE.org

The WebP Express WordPress plugin before 0.25.16 does not escape values that its bundled HTML parser re-emits into element attributes when a non-default image delivery mode is enabled, allowing unauthenticated users to submit content that is stored and later executed as Cross-Site Scripting in the browser of any user viewing an affected page, including administrators.

Technical POC Analysis

CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation - stored XSS).

Full technical POC analysis - root cause, step-by-step exploitation and patch breakdown - is part of the Pro and Business plans.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

A stored cross-site scripting vulnerability in the WebP Express WordPress plugin (versions before 0.25.16) could allow unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute when pages are viewed, potentially compromising administrator sessions and leading to site takeover. The vulnerability only affects configurations with a non-default image delivery mode enabled, and exploitation requires user interaction and is complex. While no active exploitation has been confirmed, a public proof-of-concept reference exists, and the vendor has released a patch (0.25.16). Leadership should prioritize patching this week due to the potential for administrative compromise and the plugin's use across the organization's WordPress sites.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.2%
Top 94% exploitable
Prevalence
Medium
popular WordPress image-conversion plugin, moderate but not universal install base
Exploit
POC
Public exploit code exists
Social Media
1
Sightings
Data Quality
6 sources
Confidence: High

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC Yes
EPSS 0.2%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision
Scheduled
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable
No
Human Impact
High
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

58
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +38
PoC: +20
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Cross-Site Scripting occurs when an application accepts untrusted data and sends it to a web browser without proper validation or encoding.

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