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Helix Ultimate EUVDEUVD-2026-115176

| CVE-2026-105602 HIGH
Cross-site Scripting (XSS) (CWE-79)
2026-11-02 Joomla GHSA-w6ch-2fv2-2j93
8.6
CVSS 4.0 · Vendor: Joomla
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Attack ChainAIDerived

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

  1. Access
    Obtain Joomla account able to edit Mega Menu
  2. Delivery
    Store XSS payload in badge text field
  3. Exploit
    Victim renders menu containing badge
  4. Execution
    Script executes in victim browser session
  5. Impact
    Hijack session or perform actions as victim

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

Requires an authenticated Joomla user who can edit Mega Menu configuration - specifically the Badge Text field of a menu item (template/menu management privileges), reflected in PR:L. Exploitation is further gated by victim interaction (UI:P): another user, typically an administrator or editor, must load a page or admin view that renders the malicious badge before the stored script fires. It also depends on a non-default setup where the Mega Menu feature is in use and a badge is configured on at least one menu item. These factors - privileged authoring access plus a viewing victim - limit this to a trusted-but-not-fully-privileged insider or a compromised contributor account rather than remote unauthenticated exploitation.

Impact

This is a stored XSS (CWE-79) in the Mega Menu Badge Text feature of the Helix Ultimate template/framework for Joomla, affecting versions before 2.2.11. The only CVSS vector supplied is a CVSS 4.0 base vector (AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N, score 8.6). That vector indicates network reach, low attack complexity, and - importantly - PR:L and UI:P, meaning exploitation requires an authenticated low-privileged account (one able to edit the Mega Menu badge text, i.e. a template/menu manager) plus passive interaction from a victim who views the rendered menu. No EPSS score, no CISA KEV listing, and no POC/exploit reference are present in the input, so there is no public exploit identified at time of analysis and no quantified exploitation probability. The vuln.today priority label is 'this_week' rather than act_now/emergency, which is consistent with a privilege-and-interaction-gated stored XSS rather than a widely weaponized flaw. The 4.0 VC:H/VI:H impact rating appears aggressive for a reflected-into-DOM stored XSS whose real effect is script execution in a viewing user's browser session; I would independently rate the confidentiality/integrity impact as Low (see assessed vectors). Net: a genuine but conditional issue - meaningful because the injected script typically lands in an administrative/editorial context, yet gated behind an authenticated contributor account and victim viewing, so it is a plan-and-patch-this-cycle item, not a drop-everything emergency.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

A user with rights to configure the Mega Menu (e.g. a template or menu manager account) enters a malicious script payload into a menu item's Badge Text field instead of a normal label. When a Joomla administrator or another privileged user subsequently opens the page or admin view where that mega-menu badge is rendered, the stored script executes in their browser session, enabling session/token theft or actions in the victim's authenticated context. No public exploit code is referenced in the available data.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
No patch listed yet

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AnalysisAIv1 – Nov 02, 2026

Stored cross-site scripting in the Mega Menu Badge Text field of the Helix Ultimate template/framework for Joomla before version 2.2.11 lets an authenticated Joomla user with menu or template management privileges plant script that executes when another user - typically an administrator or editor - views a page or admin screen rendering the affected badge. The flaw is CWE-79 and applies only where the Mega Menu feature is actually in use with a badge configured on a menu item; our assessment rates it CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N, meaning privileged authoring access plus victim interaction rather than unauthenticated remote exploitation. No public exploit code or confirmed active exploitation was identified in the available sources; the vendor has released version 2.2.11 as the fixed release.

RemediationAI

Upgrade Helix Ultimate to version 2.2.11 or later, which is the vendor-released fix for this issue; verify the installed template version in the Joomla extension manager and confirm the update is applied to every site using the template. If upgrading cannot be done immediately, the exposure can be reduced by removing badge text from all Mega Menu menu items and disabling the Mega Menu feature until the patch is in place, at the cost of losing that navigation styling, and by restricting backend menu and template management privileges to a small set of trusted administrators - noting that neither measure removes the underlying sanitization flaw and updating remains the only complete fix. After patching, review existing menu item badge values and administrator accounts for injected content or unauthorized changes. The vendor product page at https://www.joomshaper.com/joomla-templates/helixultimate is the available reference point for release information.

Affected VersionsENISA

Helix Ultimate extension for Joomla 1.0-2.2.10

Affected Packages

euvd helix_ultimate_extension_for_joomla no fix

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

Helix Ultimate is a widely deployed Joomla template framework from joomshaper.com, and the affected component is its Mega Menu builder, which stores per-menu-item presentation metadata - including an HTML-rendered 'Badge Text' string - in Joomla's menu configuration. Because that badge value is persisted and later emitted into the page without adequate neutralization, the defect is a classic stored/persistent cross-site scripting flaw (CWE-79): script supplied at authoring time is replayed to every viewer of the affected menu. The CPE cpe:2.3:a:joomshaper.com:helix_ultimate_extension_for_joomla identifies the Joomla extension as the affected product; the reference at joomshaper.com/joomla-templates/helixultimate is the vendor's product page for the template. The trigger path beyond 'badge text is stored and rendered' is not described in the available sources, and the supplied evidence does not detail whether sanitization gaps exist elsewhere in the menu configuration handling. Scope is limited to installations using the Mega Menu feature with a configured badge; because the injected content executes in the context of an administrative or editorial viewer, the practical post-exploitation risk (session or CSRF-token abuse in the Joomla backend) exceeds what the low confidentiality and integrity sub-scores of the assessed vector suggest on their own.

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Severity by source

Vendor (Joomla) PRIMARY 8.6 HIGH
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
vuln.today AI 5.4 MEDIUM

Stored XSS needs an authenticated menu editor (PR:L) and a victim viewing the badge (UI:R); script runs in the victim's browser (S:C) with limited C/I impact and no availability effect.

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

Primary rating from Vendor (Joomla).

CVSS VectorVendor: Joomla

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Attack Requirements
None
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
Passive
Vulnerable system: Confidentiality
High
Vulnerable system: Integrity
High
Vulnerable system: Availability
Low
Subsequent system: Confidentiality
None
Subsequent system: Integrity
None
Subsequent system: Availability
None

DescriptionCVE.org

Joomla Extension - joomshaper.com - Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) in Mega Menu Badge Text in Helix Ultimate < 2.2.11.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

A stored cross-site scripting flaw in Helix Ultimate (CVE-2026-105602, CVSS 8.6) can allow a low-privileged Joomla user who can edit menus or templates to inject malicious script that runs in an administrator's browser, potentially leading to session hijacking or admin account compromise. This is a high-priority issue for any site running a vulnerable Helix Ultimate version before 2.2.11, because it undermines the separation between content editors and site administrators. Exploitation requires an authenticated account and victim interaction, so the risk is elevated for organizations that grant menu or template access to non-admin users.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

If immediate patching is not possible, restrict menu and template management permissions to trusted administrators only and temporarily disable the Mega Menu feature or remove badge text configurations until version 2.2.11 can be deployed.

Threat Intelligence Overview

Prevalence
Medium
Helix Ultimate is a popular Joomla template framework, but Joomla's overall footprint is moderate
Data Quality
3 sources
Confidence: Low

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 No
EPSS N/A
Patch available No
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· derived
Scheduled
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact
High

Priority Score

43
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +43
PoC: 0
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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