CVE-2026-81770 in Interactive Geo Maps Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/02/2026
Unauthenticated Cross Site Scripting (XSS) in Interactive Geo Maps <= 1.6.30 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/02/2026
The vulnerability identified as an unauthenticated cross-site scripting flaw within the Interactive Geo Maps plugin, specifically affecting versions up to and including 1.6.30, represents a significant security risk for websites relying on this software for geographic data visualization. This type of attack allows malicious actors to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users without requiring any form of authentication or prior login credentials. The core technical flaw typically stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms when processing user-supplied data that is subsequently rendered in the browser context. In many cases involving mapping plugins, this occurs through parameters such as map coordinates, location names, search queries, or custom markers where special characters are not properly escaped before being embedded into HTML structures. When a victim visits an affected page containing the injected payload, their web browser executes the malicious script with the privileges of the site’s origin, effectively allowing the attacker to hijack the user's session context within that domain.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability aligns closely with CWE-79, which is classified as Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation commonly known as Cross-site Scripting. The absence of authentication for this vector means that any anonymous internet user can trigger the exploitation condition simply by crafting a malicious URL or interacting with specific input fields on the map interface. This lowers the barrier to entry significantly compared to authenticated XSS vulnerabilities, making it highly attractive for automated scanning tools and opportunistic attackers seeking quick compromises. The impact extends beyond mere script execution; depending on how the injected code is constructed, an attacker can perform session hijacking by stealing cookies or authentication tokens stored in local storage, redirect users to phishing sites designed to mimic legitimate pages, deface the website content, or even deploy further malware through drive-by download techniques if combined with other browser vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for both end-users and site administrators. For end-users, it poses a direct threat to their privacy and security as sensitive information displayed on the map or associated with their session can be exfiltrated to an external server controlled by the attacker. This could include personal location data if such features are enabled, login credentials entered into forms on the same domain due to cookie theft, or behavioral profiling based on user interactions with the compromised page. For administrators and business owners, the consequences involve reputational damage, potential legal liabilities under regulations like GDPR or CCPA if customer data is breached, and loss of trust from their audience. Furthermore, a successful exploitation can serve as an initial foothold for more advanced attacks such as server-side request forgery or privilege escalation if other vulnerabilities exist within the application stack.
Mitigation strategies must focus on immediate remediation through software updates and long-term defensive coding practices. The most effective solution is to upgrade the Interactive Geo Maps plugin to a version later than 1.6.30 where this specific input validation flaw has been addressed by the developers. If an update is not immediately available, administrators should consider disabling the affected functionality or restricting access to authenticated users only if possible, although this may limit usability. From a development standpoint, implementing strict output encoding and context-aware escaping for all dynamic content rendered in HTML attributes, JavaScript variables, and DOM elements is essential. Utilizing Content Security Policy headers can also help mitigate the impact by preventing the execution of unauthorized scripts even if injection occurs. Regular security audits and penetration testing focused on input validation weaknesses are recommended to prevent similar issues across other components of the web application infrastructure.