CVE-2026-110375 in Download Monitor Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/15/2026
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in WP Chill Download Monitor download-monitor allows Stored XSS.This issue affects Download Monitor: from n/a through 5.3.3.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/15/2026
The identified vulnerability represents a classic instance of Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, commonly known as Cross-Site Scripting or XSS. Specifically, this flaw manifests as a Stored XSS within the WP Chill Download Monitor plugin for WordPress, affecting versions ranging from its initial release through version 5.3.3. Unlike reflected XSS attacks where malicious scripts are executed via manipulated URLs, stored vulnerabilities pose a more severe risk because the injected payload is permanently saved on the target server. In this context, the vulnerability allows an attacker to inject malicious JavaScript code into fields or inputs that are subsequently rendered in web pages viewed by other users. When these victims load the affected page, their browsers execute the embedded script within the security context of the vulnerable application, granting the attacker significant control over the victim's interaction with the site.
From a technical perspective, this flaw stems from insufficient sanitization and validation of user-supplied data before it is processed by the web application and subsequently output to the browser. The Download Monitor plugin likely fails to properly escape special characters such as angle brackets, quotes, or ampersands when storing input values like download titles, descriptions, or metadata associated with files. Consequently, when this untrusted data is retrieved from the database and displayed on a frontend page, it is interpreted by the web browser not as plain text but as executable code. This failure to neutralize dangerous inputs violates fundamental secure coding principles regarding output encoding and input validation. The persistence of the payload means that every user who accesses the compromised content becomes a potential victim without requiring any additional social engineering or phishing links beyond simply visiting the page where the malicious data is displayed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple script execution, potentially leading to severe security compromises including session hijacking, credential theft, and defacement. An attacker can exploit stored XSS to steal administrative cookies or authentication tokens, thereby gaining unauthorized access to the WordPress dashboard with full control over the website's content and settings. Furthermore, the attacker could redirect users to malicious phishing sites designed to harvest sensitive information such as usernames and passwords for other services if credential reuse is practiced. In more advanced scenarios, the vulnerability can be leveraged to perform actions on behalf of the victim, such as modifying site configurations, deleting posts, or installing additional malware plugins, effectively turning the compromised WordPress installation into a node within a botnet or a platform for distributing further exploits.
This specific weakness aligns with CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') in the Common Weakness Enumeration database, which categorizes flaws where web applications do not adequately validate or encode user input before including it in HTML output. Additionally, from a tactical perspective relevant to threat intelligence and attack simulation frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK, this vulnerability facilitates techniques associated with Collection via Browser Redirects (T1566) for credential harvesting and potentially Account Manipulation (T1098) if the attacker gains persistent access through stolen sessions or by creating new administrative accounts. The stored nature of the XSS also relates to persistence mechanisms where malicious scripts remain active until manually removed, complicating incident response efforts that require thorough auditing of database entries rather than just log analysis.
To mitigate this vulnerability and secure the environment against similar threats, immediate action is required to update the WP Chill Download Monitor plugin to a version newer than 5.3.3, which presumably includes patches for input sanitization and output encoding. If updating is not immediately feasible due to compatibility constraints, administrators should implement strict Content Security Policy (CSP) headers that restrict the execution of inline scripts and limit sources from which content can be loaded. This acts as a defense-in-depth measure by preventing the browser from executing even if malicious code is injected into the DOM. Furthermore, developers must ensure that all user inputs are rigorously validated against expected formats and that outputs are encoded according to their context within HTML, JavaScript, or CSS blocks. Regular security audits and penetration testing focusing on input validation across all plugin endpoints will help identify and remediate similar weaknesses before they can be exploited by malicious actors seeking to compromise WordPress-based infrastructure.