CVE-2026-115950 in Better Post & Filter Widgets for Elementor Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in WP Smart Widgets Better Post & Filter Widgets for Elementor better-post-filter-widgets-for-elementor allows Stored XSS.This issue affects Better Post & Filter Widgets for Elementor: from n/a through 1.9.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/26/2026
The identified security flaw represents a classic instance of Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, commonly known as Cross-Site Scripting or XSS. Specifically, this vulnerability manifests as a Stored XSS within the WP Smart Widgets Better Post & Filter Widgets for Elementor plugin, affecting versions from n/a through 1.9.1. Unlike reflected XSS attacks where malicious scripts are executed via manipulated URLs, stored vulnerabilities persist on the target server because user-supplied input is saved in a database or other persistent storage mechanism without adequate sanitization. When this tainted data is subsequently retrieved and rendered to users by the web application, it executes within their browser context, leading to severe security implications for both end-users and site administrators.
From a technical perspective, the root cause lies in the failure of the plugin to properly validate or encode user inputs before they are processed into HTML output elements managed by Elementor widgets. An attacker can inject malicious JavaScript payloads through any input field that accepts unsanitized data, such as widget configuration settings, post titles, content fields, or custom metadata entries associated with the filter and display functionalities of the plugin. Because these values are stored server-side, they become part of the page structure served to every visitor who views the affected posts or widgets. This persistence ensures that the malicious code is not a one-time event but remains active until the compromised data is manually removed from the database by an administrator.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution. Attackers can leverage stored XSS to hijack administrative sessions if they target areas where administrators interact with the plugin, thereby gaining full control over the WordPress installation. This includes the ability to deface websites, steal sensitive user data such as cookies and session tokens, redirect users to phishing sites, or deploy further malware payloads like keyloggers. In enterprise environments, this can lead to significant reputational damage, loss of customer trust, and potential regulatory penalties under frameworks that mandate robust web application security controls. The persistence of the attack vector means that even after an initial compromise is detected, residual threats may remain active for unsuspecting visitors until remediation occurs.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes improper neutralization of input during web page generation as a critical weakness in software design and implementation. Furthermore, from a tactical standpoint, it maps directly to the MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059.007, specifically JavaScript execution within browser environments. The attack chain typically involves initial access through compromised credentials or public-facing inputs, followed by command and control via injected scripts that exfiltrate data back to an attacker-controlled server. Understanding this mapping helps security teams prioritize patching efforts based on the broader threat landscape associated with web application vulnerabilities.
Mitigation strategies must focus on immediate remediation of the codebase alongside defensive coding practices for future development. The primary solution is to upgrade the WP Smart Widgets Better Post & Filter Widgets for Elementor plugin to a version newer than 1.9.1, where the developers have presumably implemented proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms such as HTML entity encoding or context-aware escaping functions provided by WordPress core APIs like wp_kses_post or esc_html. For organizations unable to upgrade immediately due to compatibility constraints, implementing Web Application Firewall rules can help detect and block common XSS payloads in HTTP requests targeting vulnerable endpoints. Additionally, enforcing strict Content Security Policy headers on the web server can mitigate the impact of successful exploitation by restricting the sources from which scripts are allowed to execute, thereby neutralizing many injected payload attempts even if they bypass input validation controls.