CVE-2026-116857 in JetSmartFilters Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/29/2026
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Crocoblock JetSmartFilters jet-smart-filters allows Stored XSS.This issue affects JetSmartFilters: from n/a through 3.8.6.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/29/2026
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 within the Crocoblock JetSmartFilters plugin for WordPress, affecting versions ranging from initial releases up through version 3.8.6.2. The core technical deficiency lies in the application's failure to adequately sanitize user-supplied input before it is rendered back into the web page context. This lack of proper encoding or validation allows an attacker to inject malicious client-side scripts that are then stored on the target server, leading directly to a Stored XSS scenario rather than a reflected one.
In a Stored XSS attack vector, the malicious payload is permanently saved within the application's data store, such as a database, comment field, or user profile section. When other users subsequently access the affected page where this content is displayed, their browsers execute the injected script automatically. This mechanism significantly amplifies the potential impact compared to reflected XSS because it does not require complex social engineering tactics like phishing links; instead, any visitor viewing the compromised content becomes a victim of the attack. The vulnerability arises from insufficient validation checks on input fields that are processed by JetSmartFilters, allowing arbitrary JavaScript code to bypass security controls and execute in the context of the vulnerable website.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its persistent nature. Attackers can exploit Stored XSS to steal session cookies, which may lead to account hijacking if administrative credentials or sensitive user data are stored within those sessions. Furthermore, the injected scripts can perform actions on behalf of the victim, such as modifying page content, redirecting users to malicious sites designed for credential harvesting, or defacing the website interface. In environments where multiple administrators manage the site, compromising a single account through this vector could provide an attacker with elevated privileges and deeper access to the underlying WordPress installation, potentially leading to full server compromise if other vulnerabilities are present in the stack.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Cross-site Scripting. It also maps closely to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which covers JavaScript execution within web browsers. The persistence aspect places it firmly in the Stored XSS category, distinguishing it from other variants where input is only temporarily processed during a single request-response cycle. Understanding these classifications helps security professionals prioritize remediation efforts based on established industry standards for vulnerability management and risk assessment frameworks.
To mitigate this risk, immediate action should be taken by updating the JetSmartFilters plugin to version 3.8.6.3 or later, where the input sanitization logic has been corrected. Administrators must ensure that all plugins are kept up-to-date with their latest security patches provided by vendors. Additionally, implementing a Web Application Firewall can provide an additional layer of defense by filtering out malicious payloads before they reach the application code. For developers and site owners, it is crucial to enforce strict input validation on all user-facing forms and output encoding when rendering data back to users, ensuring that special characters are converted into their HTML entity equivalents to prevent browser interpretation as executable code.