What the vulnerability does
01Description
The Simple Owl Shortcodes plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the 'num' attribute of the 'owls_wrapper' shortcode in all versions up to, and including, 2.1.1 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user supplied attributes. 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.
Explanation of Vulnerability in Simple Terms
02Summary
Simple Owl Shortcodes versions 2.1.1 and earlier contain a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability. An attacker with low-level user privileges can inject malicious scripts that execute in other users' browsers, including site administrators. The vulnerability affects the scope beyond the vulnerable component, potentially compromising site security and user data.
What an attacker can do
03Attacker Capabilities
Inject malicious scripts that run in other users' browsers, including administrators.
Potential impact on your site
04Site Impact
Attackers with contributor or subscriber accounts can steal admin sessions, modify site content, or harvest user data.
Conditions required to exploit
05Prerequisites
Attacker must have low-level user account access; no user interaction required.
Key dates
06Disclosure timeline
May 5, 2026
CVE published
May 6, 2026
Record updated
