Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessCraft malicious XSS payload
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DeliveryDeliver link to WordPress user
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ExploitVictim loads Charitable page
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ExecutionScript executes in browser context
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ImpactHijack session or forge actions
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 WordPress site run the Charitable plugin at version 1.8.12.3 or earlier, and that an attacker induce a victim - typically a logged-in administrator or site visitor - to click a crafted link or load an attacker-influenced page (UI:R). No authentication is required of the attacker (PR:N), so the injection point is reachable by anonymous users, but successful payload execution depends on victim interaction and on the browser rendering the unsanitized input. The practical limiting factors are: the need for user interaction, the requirement that the plugin be installed and at a vulnerable version, and that impact is confined to the victim's browser session rather than the server. The specific vulnerable parameter/endpoint is not detailed in the available data and should be confirmed via the Patchstack advisory. |
| Impact | This is a genuine but moderate-priority issue rather than a top-tier emergency. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L, base 7.1) indicates a network-reachable, low-complexity, unauthenticated flaw, but the UI:R requirement means an attacker must lure a victim (often a logged-in administrator) into triggering the payload, which caps real-world weaponization. The S:C (scope change) is standard for XSS, reflecting that the injected script executes in a victim's browser security context rather than the WordPress server itself; the resulting C:L/I:L impacts are session/DOM-level, not direct server compromise. No EPSS score, KEV listing, or POC was provided in the intelligence set, so there is no public exploit identified at time of analysis and no evidence of active exploitation - the risk is driven by plugin prevalence and the unauthenticated entry point, not by observed attacks. Note one inconsistency to verify: the CVSS vector includes A:L (availability impact), which is atypical for a classic reflected/stored XSS and may be an overstatement by the reporter; impact is more plausibly confidentiality/integrity only. Because the only reference is a single Patchstack advisory, affected-version detail and exploitation specifics should be confirmed against the vendor before high-urgency remediation decisions. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker crafts a malicious link or submits attacker-controlled input to a vulnerable Charitable endpoint and tricks a site administrator or visitor into loading it; the page reflects or renders the unsanitized input, executing arbitrary JavaScript in the victim's browser. This can hijack the authenticated session, perform actions as the victim, or inject content into the donation pages. No public exploit code was identified at time of analysis, and the attack requires user interaction (UI:R), limiting mass automation. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Oct 06, 2026
Unauthenticated cross-site scripting (XSS) in the Charitable WordPress plugin through version 1.8.12.3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts into pages viewed by victims, potentially leading to session hijacking or defacement. Exploitation requires user interaction (UI:R), such as clicking a crafted link, and impacts the victim's browser session rather than the server (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N). No public exploit code or confirmed active exploitation has been identified at time of analysis, making this a moderate-priority issue per independent assessment.
RemediationAI
No vendor-released patch is identified in the available data. Administrators should monitor the Patchstack advisory and the plugin's WordPress.org page for a security update. Until a fix is available, consider disabling the Charitable plugin as a temporary mitigation, though this may impact site functionality. If the plugin cannot be disabled, enforce a strict Content Security Policy (CSP) to block inline script execution, and use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with custom rules to filter XSS attempts, although these require tuning and may have false positives. Since exploitation requires user interaction, advise users to avoid clicking untrusted links, especially those targeting the site's charitable features. The specific vulnerable parameter is not detailed; review the advisory for further guidance.
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
The vulnerability is a classic Cross-Site Scripting (CWE-79) issue affecting the Charitable WordPress plugin, identified by CPE cpe:2.3:a:syed_balkhi:charitable:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*. The plugin, maintained by Syed Balkhi, is used for charity and donation functionality on WordPress sites. The flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages, which are then executed in the context of a victim's browser when they interact with a crafted link or page. The root cause is insufficient input sanitization or output escaping, leading to script injection. The specific vulnerable parameter or endpoint is not detailed in the available data and should be confirmed via the Patchstack advisory (linked in references). The assessed vector indicates network exploitability, low complexity, no privileges required, but user interaction is necessary, and scope is changed, with low confidentiality and integrity impact and no availability impact.
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L
Unauthenticated network XSS (AV:N/PR:N) needing victim interaction (UI:R); script runs cross-context (S:C) with session/DOM impact (C:L/I:L); XSS does not degrade availability, so A:N.
Primary rating from Vendor (Patchstack).
CVSS VectorVendor: Patchstack
DescriptionCVE.org
Unauthenticated Cross Site Scripting (XSS) in Charitable <= 1.8.12.3 versions.
Executive ViewAI
The Charitable WordPress plugin (versions up to 1.8.12.3) contains a high-severity unauthenticated cross-site scripting vulnerability that could allow attackers to hijack user sessions or deface donation pages. Although no public exploit code or active exploitation has been identified, the plugin is widely used by nonprofits, and a successful attack could damage donor trust and expose sensitive session data. Leadership should prioritize monitoring for a vendor patch and consider interim mitigations to protect site visitors.
No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Interim mitigations include disabling the plugin, deploying WAF rules to block XSS, and educating users about phishing links.
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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GHSA-5mw9-7q22-35c8
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CVE.org
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