CVE-2023-4646 in Simple Posts Ticker Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
The Simple Posts Ticker WordPress plugin before 1.1.6 does not validate and escape some of its shortcode attributes before outputting them back in a page/post where the shortcode is embed, which could allow users with the contributor role and above to perform Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/25/2026
The Simple Posts Ticker WordPress plugin vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that enables stored cross-site scripting attacks through improper input validation and output escaping mechanisms. This issue affects versions prior to 116 and specifically targets the plugin's shortcode attribute handling functionality. The vulnerability occurs when the plugin fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it within web pages, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject persistent script code into the plugin's output.
The technical implementation of this flaw stems from inadequate validation processes within the plugin's shortcode processing logic. When administrators or users with contributor roles and above embed shortcodes containing malicious payloads, the plugin does not sufficiently escape or filter these attributes before incorporating them into the page output. This allows attackers to store malicious scripts that execute whenever the affected page is loaded, making it a persistent threat rather than a one-time injection vector. The vulnerability specifically impacts the plugin's ability to distinguish between legitimate content and potentially harmful script code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement. Attackers with contributor privileges can leverage this flaw to execute malicious scripts in the context of affected websites, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or further compromise of the WordPress installation. The stored nature of the XSS attack means that victims do not need to be actively interacting with the compromised page for the attack to succeed, as the malicious code is embedded directly into the page content and executed automatically upon page load.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, commonly known as cross-site scripting. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a technique for code injection where adversaries exploit application vulnerabilities to execute malicious code in the victim's browser context. This particular implementation represents a privilege escalation vector since it allows users with relatively low privileges to perform actions that would typically require higher-level access rights, demonstrating how insufficient input validation can create security boundaries that should not exist.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to version 1.1.6 or later of the Simple Posts Ticker plugin, which addresses the core validation and escaping issues. Additionally, implementing content security policies and regular security audits of installed plugins can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in other components of the WordPress ecosystem. Administrative users should also consider implementing role-based access controls to limit who can add or modify shortcode content, providing an additional layer of defense against such attacks.