CVE-2026-9239
Deferred Deferred - Pending Action

Stored XSS in Meow Gallery WordPress Plugin via Attachment Alt Text

Publication date: 2026-10-30

Last updated on: 2026-10-30

Assigner: Wordfence

Description
The Meow Gallery plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Attachment Alt Text (aria-label attribute) in all versions up to, and including, 5.5.1 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with author-level access and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page. The vulnerable code path is only reachable when a gallery item is rendered as a link (i.e., link_href is non-empty), and exploitation relies on the fact that WordPress's sanitize_text_field() strips angle-bracketed tags but preserves double quotes, allowing an attacker to break out of the aria-label attribute context and inject event-handler attributes such as onclick.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published
2026-10-30
Last Modified
2026-10-30
Generated
2026-10-30
AI Q&A
2026-10-30
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-9239
EUVD
EUVD-2026-114217

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
tigroumeow Meow Gallery 0

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-79 The product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users.

Attack-Flow Graph

AI Quick Actions

Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

The Meow Gallery WordPress plugin up to version 5.5.1 has a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability. Attackers with author-level access or higher can inject malicious scripts via the attachment alt text (aria-label attribute). This happens because input is not properly sanitized and output is not escaped. The vulnerability requires a gallery item to be rendered as a link to be exploitable.

Detection Guidance

To detect this vulnerability, inspect WordPress sites using the Meow Gallery plugin versions up to 5.5.1. Check for malicious scripts in attachment alt text fields, especially in galleries rendered as links. Review server logs for unusual script injections or unauthorized modifications to gallery items.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this vulnerability allows attackers to inject scripts that run when users access infected pages. This could lead to unauthorized actions on behalf of users, data theft, or defacement of your WordPress site. Users with author-level access or above pose the highest risk.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access or data breaches, violating GDPR and HIPAA requirements for data protection and user privacy. Organizations may face fines or legal consequences if exploited due to insufficient security controls.

Mitigation Strategies

Immediately update the Meow Gallery plugin to the latest version beyond 5.5.1. Remove any unauthorized scripts from attachment alt text fields. Restrict author-level access to only trusted users. Monitor affected pages for signs of exploitation.

Chat Assistant

Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-9239. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70

EPSS Chart