CVE-2026-3617: The Paypal Shortcode plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the 'amount' and 'name' shortcode attributes in all version...

Description

The Paypal Shortcode plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the 'amount' and 'name' shortcode attributes in all versions up to, and including, 0.3. This is due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user-supplied shortcode attributes. The swer_paypal_shortcode() function extracts shortcode attributes using extract() and shortcode_atts() at line 89, then directly concatenates the $name and $amount values into HTML input element value attributes at lines 105-106 without applying esc_attr() or any other escaping function. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Contributor-level access and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

6.4/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

EPSS Probability

0.20%

10.1th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-79

References

Timeline

Published: Mar 21, 2026
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Deferred

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-3617?

The Paypal Shortcode plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the 'amount' and 'name' shortcode attributes in all versions up to, and including, 0.3. This is due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user-supplied shortcode attributes. The swer_paypal_shortcode() function extracts shortcode attributes using extract() and shortcode_atts() at line 89, then directly concatenates the $name and $amount values into HTML input element value attributes at lines 105-106 without applying esc_attr() or any other escaping function. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Contributor-level access and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page.

How severe is CVE-2026-3617?

CVE-2026-3617 has a CVSS score of 6.4/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.20% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2026-3617?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.