CVE-2026-94682 in Podcast Importer SecondLine Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/23/2026
Contributor Cross Site Scripting (XSS) in Podcast Importer SecondLine <= 1.5.6 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/23/2026
The vulnerability identified as a Contributor-level Cross-Site Scripting flaw within the Podcast Importer plugin, specifically affecting versions up to and including 1.5.6, represents a significant security risk for WordPress-based websites that utilize this functionality. This type of vulnerability arises from insufficient sanitization or validation of user-supplied input before it is rendered in web pages accessible by other users. In the context of Podcast Importer, the attack vector typically involves a contributor-level account submitting content such as podcast titles, descriptions, or metadata fields that are not properly escaped when displayed on the frontend or backend interface. Because WordPress assigns specific capabilities to different user roles, an attacker with Contributor privileges can exploit this weakness without needing administrative access, thereby lowering the barrier for exploitation significantly compared to vulnerabilities requiring higher privilege levels like Administrator.
From a technical perspective, the core issue lies in the application's failure to adhere to secure coding practices regarding output encoding. When data entered by a contributor is stored and subsequently retrieved for display, the system fails to apply appropriate context-specific escaping mechanisms such as HTML entity encoding or JavaScript string escaping. This allows malicious scripts embedded within the input fields to execute in the browser of any user who views the affected page. The injected script runs with the same privileges as the victim user, potentially allowing it to access session cookies, local storage, or perform actions on behalf of the authenticated user if they have higher permissions than a contributor. This behavior aligns directly with CWE-79, which classifies Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation commonly known as Cross-site Scripting (XSS).
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple defacement or annoyance. Attackers can leverage the executed script to steal sensitive information such as session tokens, leading to account takeover if combined with other techniques like cross-site request forgery. Furthermore, in environments where contributors interact with administrators or higher-privileged users, the attacker could redirect victims to malicious sites designed for phishing credential harvesting. The persistence of this threat is compounded by the fact that contributor accounts are often granted more freedom than subscribers but less restriction than authors, creating a gap in security oversight where input validation might be assumed sufficient when it is not. This scenario maps closely to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059, specifically Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, as well as T1204, User Execution, depending on how the payload is delivered and triggered within the browser environment.
Mitigation strategies must address both immediate remediation and long-term security posture improvements. The primary solution involves upgrading the Podcast Importer plugin to a version greater than 1.5.6 where this vulnerability has been patched by the developers through proper input sanitization and output encoding implementation. For organizations unable to upgrade immediately, temporary mitigations include restricting contributor privileges if possible or implementing Web Application Firewall rules that detect and block common XSS payloads in POST requests associated with podcast import functions. Additionally, enforcing Content Security Policy headers can help mitigate the impact of successful exploitation by preventing unauthorized script execution from external domains. Regular security audits and code reviews focusing on data flow between user input and output rendering are essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future updates or custom integrations involving this plugin.