CVE-2026-3481

What it is

The WP Blockade plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via the 'shortcode' parameter in all versions up to and including 0.9.14. This is due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping in the render_shortcode_preview() function. The function receives user input from $_GET['shortcode'], passes it through stripslashes() without any sanitization, and then outputs it directly via echo do_shortcode($shortcode) on line 393. When the input is not a valid WordPress shortcode (e.g., an HTML tag with JavaScript event handlers), do_shortcode() returns it unchanged, and it is reflected into the page without escaping. The endpoint is registered via admin_post_ (not admin_post_nopriv_), meaning it requires the user to be logged in with at minimum a Subscriber-level account. There is no nonce verification or additional capability check. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute if they can successfully trick a user into performing an action such as clicking a link.

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited over the network without logging in, but needs a user to act. Limited direct impact.

Exploit odds

0.2% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

No patch or advisory is linked yet. Look at mitigations or restrict exposure.

Timeline

1. 2026-05-22 05:16 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-07-23 16:10 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 0.2% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: 6.1 MEDIUM (CVSS).
• Fix: none linked yet, which raises it.

Details

Published

2026-05-22 05:16 UTC

Last modified

2026-07-23 16:10 UTC

Exploit probability

0.2% · EPSS, next 30 days

Weakness

CWE-79 · Cross-site scripting

Record status

Deferred

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 6.1

Attack vector

Network

Complexity

Low

Privileges needed

None

User interaction

Required

Scope

Changed

Confidentiality

Low

Integrity

Low

Availability

None

Is it in your code?

Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.

Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2026-3481.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2026-3481. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.

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