CVE-2026-119162 in User Submitted Posts Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/31/2026
The User Submitted Posts – Enable Users to Submit Posts from the Front End plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored DOM-Based Cross-Site Scripting via the 'user-submitted-content' parameter in all versions up to, and including, 20260916 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. On a default installation the submitted post is held as Pending and requires admin approval before the payload is reachable by other visitors; however, if the plugin's "publish immediately" option is enabled, no approval step exists and the stored payload becomes live without any moderator interaction.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/31/2026
The vulnerability identified in the User Submitted Posts – Enable Users to Submit Posts from the Front End WordPress plugin represents a significant security risk due to its potential for Stored DOM-Based Cross-Site Scripting. This flaw is present in all versions up to and including 20260916, stemming directly from insufficient input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the application code. Specifically, the vulnerability resides in the handling of the user-submitted-content parameter, which allows attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts into pages generated by the plugin. When a victim user accesses a page containing this injected script, the malicious code executes within their browser context, leading to potential compromise of sensitive information or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the victim.
From a technical perspective, the core issue lies in the failure to properly validate and escape data before it is rendered back into the HTML document. In web application security, input sanitization ensures that user-supplied data does not contain malicious code, while output escaping transforms special characters into their safe equivalents so they are treated as text rather than executable script. The absence of these safeguards in this plugin allows raw JavaScript or other active content to be stored within the database and subsequently served to visitors without modification. This aligns with CWE-79, which classifies improper neutralization of input during web page generation as a common cause for cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. Furthermore, because the script is stored on the server rather than being passed solely via URL parameters or headers, it persists across multiple sessions and user visits, amplifying its impact compared to reflected XSS attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability varies depending on the configuration settings of the WordPress site in question. On a default installation, newly submitted posts are typically held as Pending Review, requiring administrative approval before they become publicly visible. In such scenarios, an unauthenticated attacker can still inject payloads, but these remain dormant until an administrator reviews and publishes them. This creates a risk where administrators themselves might be targeted if their session is hijacked during the review process or if the payload triggers upon viewing in the admin dashboard. However, the severity escalates dramatically when the plugin's publish immediately option is enabled. In this configuration, there is no intermediate approval step, meaning that any malicious content submitted by an attacker becomes live and accessible to all site visitors instantly without moderator interaction. This transforms a potential administrative risk into a widespread client-side attack vector affecting every user who visits the affected pages.
This vulnerability maps closely to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which covers JavaScript execution as part of command and control or initial access strategies in web applications. Attackers can leverage this stored XSS to steal session cookies, perform keylogging, deface websites, or redirect users to phishing sites. The persistence of the payload means that even after the attacker has left the site, the threat remains active for any subsequent visitor. This is particularly dangerous on high-traffic blogs or community-driven platforms where user-generated content is frequent and immediate visibility is expected by users.
To mitigate this vulnerability, it is imperative to upgrade the plugin to a version released after 20260916 that includes proper fixes for input sanitization and output escaping. Administrators should ensure that all plugins are kept up to date with security patches provided by their developers. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of defense by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded or executed, thereby limiting the effectiveness of any injected payloads even if they manage to bypass other controls. For sites relying on user submissions, enforcing strict moderation workflows and avoiding the publish immediately option for untrusted users reduces the window of exposure. Regular security audits and penetration testing focused on input validation across all user-facing forms are recommended practices to identify and remediate similar weaknesses before they can be exploited in production environments.