What the vulnerability does
01Description
The Categories Images plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting in versions up to, and including, 3.3.1, via the 'z_taxonomy_image' shortcode. This is due to the shortcode rendering path passing attacker-controlled class input into a fallback image builder that concatenates HTML attributes without proper escaping. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Contributor-level access and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts that execute when users interact with the injected frontend page via the 'class' shortcode attribute.
Explanation of Vulnerability in Simple Terms
02Summary
Categories Images versions 3.3.1 and earlier contain a cross-site scripting vulnerability. An attacker with low-level user access can inject malicious scripts that execute in other users' browsers when they view affected pages. The vulnerability requires user interaction and can affect other site components due to scope change.
What an attacker can do
03Attacker Capabilities
Inject malicious scripts that run in other users' browsers to steal data or perform actions on their behalf.
Potential impact on your site
04Site Impact
Site users' sessions and data can be compromised if they interact with pages containing attacker-injected content.
Conditions required to exploit
05Prerequisites
Attacker needs low-level user account access; victim must view a page containing the injected script.
Key dates
06Disclosure timeline
April 18, 2026
CVE published
April 20, 2026
Record updated
