CVE-2026-107657 in HivePress Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/10/2026
The HivePress – Business Directory, Listings & Classified Ads Plugin plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the '<custom user attribute field name, e.g. profile_test>' parameter in all versions up to, and including, 1.7.31 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page. This requires an administrator to have configured a text-type custom user attribute whose display format places %value% inside an HTML attribute context (e.g., the documented pattern <a href="%value%">Custom link</a>), and for front-end user profiles to be enabled — both of which reflect the plugin's standard, documented configuration.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/10/2026
The HivePress WordPress plugin serves as a comprehensive solution for creating business directories, listings, and classified ads platforms. It allows site administrators to customize user profiles by defining custom attributes that can display various types of data about users. A critical security flaw has been identified in versions up to 1.7.31 involving the handling of these custom user attribute fields. Specifically, when an administrator configures a text-type custom user attribute with a display format that places the value inside an HTML attribute context, such as using patterns like <a href="%value%">Custom link</a>, the plugin fails to adequately sanitize input or escape output. This oversight creates a Stored Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability within the application logic.
The technical nature of this flaw stems from insufficient input sanitization and lack of proper output escaping when processing user-supplied data for custom attribute fields. Because the system does not neutralize special characters that have meaning in HTML contexts, an attacker can inject arbitrary web scripts into these fields. The persistence of this vulnerability is what classifies it as stored XSS rather than reflected XSS. Once malicious code is injected via a configured field, it remains on the server and executes every time a user accesses a page where that data is rendered. This execution occurs in the context of the victim's session with the website, allowing the attacker to potentially hijack user sessions, deface websites, or redirect users to malicious sites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant because it requires no authentication for exploitation. Unauthenticated attackers can target any WordPress site running HivePress versions up to 1.7.31 that have front-end user profiles enabled and a text-type custom attribute configured with an HTML attribute context display format. Since these configurations represent standard, documented settings within the plugin's ecosystem, many installations are likely susceptible without administrators realizing they have exposed their users to risk. The ability for unauthenticated actors to execute arbitrary JavaScript poses severe risks including credential theft through keylogging or session hijacking, manipulation of page content, and potential propagation of malware to visitors who interact with compromised elements on the site.
To mitigate this vulnerability, immediate action is required by administrators using affected versions of HivePress. Upgrading the plugin to a version newer than 1.7.31 where these input sanitization and output escaping issues have been resolved is the primary remediation step. In addition to updating software, security best practices dictate implementing Content Security Policy headers to restrict the sources from which scripts can be loaded, thereby reducing the impact of any successful XSS attempts even if other vulnerabilities exist. Regular auditing of custom field configurations should also be conducted to ensure that no legacy or improperly configured fields remain active on production environments.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation commonly known as Cross-site Scripting. The attack vector leverages the application's own features for storing and displaying user data, making it particularly insidious compared to simple form-based injection points. In terms of tactical mapping within the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability facilitates initial access or persistence depending on how the injected script is utilized by an attacker aiming to compromise specific accounts or maintain long-term control over compromised sessions through cookie theft or token manipulation techniques associated with browser-side attacks.