Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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ReconObtain contributor credentials
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DeliveryInject script payload into slider block attribute
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ExploitPayload persists in post database
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InstallEditor or Admin opens post in Gutenberg
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C2Stored script executes in privileged session
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ExecuteExfiltrate nonce or session token
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ImpactEscalate to admin-level access
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 a minimum of contributor-level authentication on the target WordPress installation; unauthenticated attackers cannot trigger this vulnerability. Beyond authentication, the stored payload only executes when a user with Editor or Administrator role opens the specifically affected post within the WordPress Gutenberg block editor - the script does not execute on the public-facing rendered page, significantly narrowing the viable victim pool. Sites that prohibit open contributor registration or that restrict the contributor role to fully trusted internal staff have a substantially reduced attack surface. The vulnerability is confined to installations running Smart Slider 3 versions 3.5.1.38 and below; sites running 3.5.1.39 or later, or not using the plugin, are not affected. |
| Impact | The CVSS 6.4 Medium score is well-calibrated for this vulnerability class: AV:N reflects web delivery, PR:L captures the contributor authentication prerequisite, and S:C accounts for the cross-session impact when a privileged user's browser executes the payload. The narrow execution context - scripts fire only when an Editor or Administrator opens the infected post inside the Gutenberg editor, not on the public-facing page - meaningfully constrains opportunistic exploitation and mass impact, meaning even a competent mid-sized IT team should treat this as a measured priority rather than an emergency. No KEV listing confirms active exploitation, no public exploit code has been identified, and no EPSS score was provided in the input data, leaving quantitative exploitation probability unconfirmed. The most credible threat scenario involves malicious or compromised contributor accounts as a lateral-movement vector toward higher-privilege account takeover, not broad public user compromise. Sites with open contributor registration or large contributor pools carry materially higher risk than those restricting contribution to vetted users. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker holding contributor-level credentials on a WordPress site edits or creates a post and injects a JavaScript payload into the 'slider' Gutenberg block attribute, which is stored without sanitization. When a site Editor or Administrator later opens that post in the Gutenberg editor, the stored script executes silently in their privileged browser context, enabling the attacker to exfiltrate the admin's session cookies or nonces and subsequently perform authenticated actions - such as creating a new administrator account - without further interaction. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Aug 28, 2026
Stored Cross-Site Scripting in Smart Slider 3 (WordPress plugin by Nextend) versions up to and including 3.5.1.38 allows authenticated contributors to inject persistent JavaScript payloads via the Gutenberg 'slider' block attribute, targeting Editors and Administrators who subsequently open affected posts in the WordPress block editor. The flaw originates from insufficient input sanitization in the Gutenberg block integration and missing output escaping in the plugin's shortcode renderer. No public exploit code or CISA KEV listing has been identified; the primary real-world risk is insider-threat or compromised-contributor scenarios leading to privileged account takeover.
RemediationAI
Update Smart Slider 3 to version 3.5.1.39 or later, which contains a fix to the Gutenberg block attribute handling as shown in the plugin repository changeset at https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?old_path=%2Fsmart-slider-3/tags/3.5.1.38&new_path=%2Fsmart-slider-3/tags/3.5.1.39. Where patching cannot be applied immediately, restrict contributor-level role assignment to verified, trusted users only - this eliminates the prerequisite access level and closes the primary attack path, though it may limit content contribution workflows. Site administrators should also audit existing posts containing Smart Slider 3 Gutenberg blocks for unexpected or obfuscated script content in block attributes before or alongside patching. Full advisory details are available from Wordfence at https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/d5c045e2-a6be-425f-a4f3-1e79badf738b.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
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
Smart Slider 3 (CPE: cpe:2.3:a:nextendweb:smart_slider_3) integrates with the WordPress Gutenberg block editor via three relevant code paths identified in the plugin repository: the JavaScript-side block renderer (gutenberg-block.js line 51), the PHP-side block registration handler (Gutenberg.php line 55), and the shortcode output renderer (Shortcode.php line 270). The root cause is CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation), meaning attacker-controlled input in the 'slider' block attribute is neither sanitized before persistence nor escaped on output, allowing raw script content to be stored in post metadata and later reflected into the block editor DOM. Because execution occurs within the Gutenberg editor environment rather than on the public-facing page, the attack surface is scoped to privileged users with editor or admin roles who access the backend.
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Contributor credentials required (PR:L); scope change to admin browser session (S:C); no availability impact; low confidentiality and integrity impact via session hijack.
Primary rating from Vendor (Wordfence).
CVSS VectorVendor: Wordfence
DescriptionCVE.org
The Smart Slider 3 plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via 'slider' Block Attribute in all versions up to, and including, 3.5.1.38 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with contributor-level access and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page. The injected scripts execute specifically when a user opens the affected post in the WordPress block editor, making Editors and Administrators the primary targets.
Threat Intelligence Overview
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.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
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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EUVD-2026-67399
GHSA-mcvf-8xhh-c3q4
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
Exploit-DB