WordPress Core < 5.3.1 - Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Block Editor

5.8
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
CVE CVE-2019-16780
CVSS 5.8 (Medium)
Publicly Published December 13, 2019
Last Updated August 14, 2023
Researcher Nguyen Van Khanh

Description

WordPress users with lower privileges (like contributors) can inject JavaScript code in the block editor using a specific payload, which is executed within the dashboard. This can lead to XSS if an admin opens the post in the editor. Execution of this attack does require an authenticated user. This has been patched in WordPress 5.3.1, along with all the previous WordPress versions from 3.7 to 5.3 via a minor release. Automatic updates are enabled by default for minor releases and we strongly recommend that you keep them enabled.

Learn more about Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities and how to prevent them.

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Vulnerability Details for WordPress

Software Type Core
Patched? Yes
Remediation Update to one of the following versions, or a newer patched version: 3.7.32, 3.8.32, 3.9.30, 4.0.29, 4.1.29, 4.2.26, 4.3.22, 4.4.21, 4.5.20, 4.6.17, 4.7.16, 4.8.12, 4.9.13, 5.0.8, 5.1.4, 5.2.5, 5.3.1
Affected Versions
  • 5.3
  • < 3.7
  • 5.0 - 5.0.7
  • 5.1 - 5.1.3
Expand to see 14 more affected version ranges.
  • 5.2 - 5.2.4
  • 3.7 - 3.7.31
  • 3.8 - 3.8.31
  • 3.9 - 3.9.29
  • 4.0 - 4.0.28
  • 4.1 - 4.1.28
  • 4.2 - 4.2.25
  • 4.3 - 4.3.21
  • 4.4 - 4.4.20
  • 4.5 - 4.5.19
  • 4.6 - 4.6.16
  • 4.7 - 4.7.15
  • 4.8 - 4.8.11
  • 4.9 - 4.9.12
Patched Versions
  • 3.7.32
  • 3.8.32
  • 3.9.30
  • 4.0.29
Expand to see 13 more patched versions.
  • 4.1.29
  • 4.2.26
  • 4.3.22
  • 4.4.21
  • 4.5.20
  • 4.6.17
  • 4.7.16
  • 4.8.12
  • 4.9.13
  • 5.0.8
  • 5.1.4
  • 5.2.5
  • 5.3.1

Recent vulnerabilities in WordPress

# Title CVE ID CVSS Researchers Date
1 WordPress Core <= 7.0.3 - Authenticated (Author+) Remote Code Execution via Malicious File Upload CVE-2026-65640 8.8 pwn.ai Team August 12, 2026
2 WordPress Core <= 7.0.2 - Authenticated (Author+) CSS Injection 5.5 August 8, 2026
3 WordPress Core <= 7.0.2 - Unauthenticated Sensitive Information Exposure via Comment Feeds 5.3 Elio Gubser (odkdn1) August 8, 2026
4 WordPress Core <= 7.0.2 - Unauthenticated Blind Server-Side Request Forgery 5.8 Andrew MacPherson August 8, 2026
5 WordPress Core <= 7.0.2 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Quick Edit 4.9 moochi, mappymappy August 8, 2026
6 WordPress Core <= 7.0.2 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) Email Change Confirmation Bypass 4.3 0ways August 8, 2026
7 WordPress Core <= 7.0.2 - Unauthenticated Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via log Parameter CVE-2026-64638 6.1 pwn.ai Team August 8, 2026
8 WordPress Core <= 7.0.2 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) Missing Authorization to Arbitrary Site Creation on Multisite 4.3 Aikido Security August 8, 2026
9 WordPress Core <= 7.0.2 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Emoji Settings Element 6.4 Asaf Mozes August 8, 2026
10 WordPress Core 6.9 - 7.0.1 - Remote Code Execution via REST API Batch Request Route Confusion CVE-2026-63030 9.8 Adam Kues July 17, 2026

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