CVE-2026-118169 in Hustle Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/28/2026
The Hustle – Email Marketing, Lead Generation, Optins, Popups plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the 'content[cta_label]' parameter in all versions up to, and including, 7.8.14.3 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with custom-level access and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page. By default only Administrators hold the hustle_edit_module capability, but the plugin's built-in Permissions screen allows administrators to delegate this capability to lower roles including Subscriber, enabling Subscriber-level exploitation on sites where that delegation has been configured.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/28/2026
The vulnerability identified in The Hustle – Email Marketing, Lead Generation, Optins, Popups plugin for WordPress represents a significant security risk due to its potential for Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks. This flaw exists within the content[cta_label] parameter and affects all versions up through 7.8.14.3. The root cause of this vulnerability lies in insufficient input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms implemented by the plugin developers. When user-supplied data is processed without adequate validation or encoding, malicious scripts can be embedded into stored data structures such as database records or configuration files associated with call-to-action elements.
From a technical perspective, Stored Cross-Site Scripting differs from reflected variants in that the injected script persists on the target server rather than being transmitted solely within an HTTP request. In this specific case, attackers who possess authenticated access can inject arbitrary web scripts into pages managed by The Hustle plugin. These scripts execute automatically whenever any user accesses a page containing the malicious content. This persistence mechanism amplifies the severity of the vulnerability because it does not require complex social engineering or repeated exploitation attempts to affect multiple users; once injected, the payload remains active until manually removed from the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial, particularly given the privilege escalation dynamics involved in WordPress role management. By default, only Administrators hold the hustle_edit_module capability required to exploit this flaw directly through standard administrative interfaces. However, The Hustle plugin includes a built-in Permissions screen that allows administrators to delegate specific capabilities to lower-level user roles. If an administrator configures these permissions to grant Subscriber-level access or similar low-privilege accounts the ability to edit modules containing call-to-action labels, attackers with even minimal authenticated access can exploit this vulnerability. This effectively lowers the barrier for entry significantly compared to vulnerabilities requiring full administrative privileges.
This scenario aligns closely with Common Weakness Enumeration categories such as CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation and CWE-250 Execution of Code in a Context That Does Not Expect It. The persistence aspect also relates to the concept of persistent injection attacks where malicious content becomes part of the application's state. In terms of tactical mapping, this vulnerability supports techniques associated with ATT&CK ID T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically when used for client-side script execution via web browsers. Attackers can leverage these scripts to perform session hijacking, defacement, phishing attacks against other users viewing the compromised pages, or redirection to malicious external sites designed to distribute malware.
Mitigation strategies must address both immediate remediation and long-term security posture improvements. The most effective solution is upgrading The Hustle plugin to a version that includes patches for this input validation issue. Until an official patch is available, administrators should restrict the delegation of editing capabilities within the Permissions screen to only those users who absolutely require such access. Implementing strict Content Security Policy headers can also help mitigate some impacts by restricting where scripts are allowed to execute from. Additionally, regular security audits and code reviews focusing on input sanitization practices across all WordPress plugins installed in the environment will reduce exposure to similar vulnerabilities. Monitoring user activity logs for unusual patterns of content modification may provide early detection indicators if exploitation attempts occur before patches are applied.