CVE-2026-97292 in YITH WooCommerce Tab Manager Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/30/2026
Author Cross Site Scripting (XSS) in YITH WooCommerce Tab Manager <= 2.15.0 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2026
The vulnerability identified as a Cross-Site Scripting flaw within the Author field of the YITH WooCommerce Tab Manager plugin, specifically affecting versions up to and including 2.15.0, represents a significant security risk for WordPress-based e-commerce websites. This particular implementation error stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms when processing user-supplied data in the author metadata section of product tabs or related content structures managed by the plugin. In typical web application architecture, inputs such as author names are expected to be treated as plain text; however, this vulnerability allows an attacker to inject malicious JavaScript code that is subsequently rendered without proper encoding within the browser context of other users who view the affected pages. This failure aligns directly with CWE-79, which classifies improper neutralization of input during web page generation, commonly known as reflected or stored cross-site scripting depending on whether the payload is executed immediately from a URL parameter or persisted in the database for later retrieval.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of the victim's browser session without requiring prior authentication if the vulnerable field is accessible publicly, or with low-privilege user access such as subscriber level if stored within admin-managed content that is visible to others. The impact extends beyond mere script execution; it facilitates account hijacking through session cookie theft, allowing attackers to impersonate legitimate users and perform actions on their behalf. Furthermore, the injected scripts can redirect victims to malicious phishing sites designed to harvest credentials or distribute malware via drive-by downloads. In e-commerce environments where sensitive customer data and payment processing are involved, such breaches compromise not only individual user accounts but also the integrity of the entire transaction ecosystem, potentially leading to financial fraud and severe reputational damage for the business operator.
The exploitation vector typically involves an attacker crafting a payload containing JavaScript code or HTML elements that bypasses existing filters due to the lack of robust output encoding in the specific function handling the author field display. When this malicious content is stored within the WordPress database via the plugin's interface, it remains dormant until another user loads the page where the tab manager renders the product information including the tainted author data. This persistence mechanism classifies the vulnerability under CWE-83 for Stored Cross-Site Scripting when the payload survives in storage, making it particularly dangerous as it affects every visitor rather than just the attacker who injected it. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this behavior under T1059 Command and Control scripting interpretation or potentially T1189 Drive-by Compromise if used for malware distribution, highlighting its relevance to broader threat intelligence models focused on web application attacks.
Mitigation strategies must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hygiene. The most effective solution is to upgrade the YITH WooCommerce Tab Manager plugin to a version greater than 2.15.0 where the developers have presumably implemented proper input sanitization using functions like wp_kses_post or esc_html, ensuring that special characters are encoded before outputting data to the browser. For sites unable to update immediately due to compatibility constraints, temporary workarounds include disabling the specific feature causing the vulnerability if possible, restricting access to areas containing author fields through role-based permissions, and deploying a Web Application Firewall configured with rulesets specifically tuned for XSS detection such as those based on OWASP Core Rule Set patterns. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can mitigate the impact of successful exploitation by restricting script execution sources, thereby preventing inline scripts from running even if injected into the DOM. Regular security audits and penetration testing focused on input validation across all user-facing forms are essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future updates or custom code integrations within the WordPress ecosystem.