CVE-2026-4146
Reflected XSS in Loco Translate Plugin Allows Script Injection
Publication date: 2026-03-31
Last updated on: 2026-03-31
Assigner: Wordfence
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| wp-loco | translate | to 2.8.2 (inc) |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| 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 Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
The Loco Translate plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) via the ‘update_href’ parameter in all versions up to and including 2.8.2. This vulnerability arises because the plugin does not properly sanitize input or escape output for this parameter.
An unauthenticated attacker can exploit this by injecting arbitrary web scripts into pages. These scripts execute if a user is tricked into performing an action such as clicking on a malicious link.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can allow attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of the affected website, potentially leading to several impacts:
- Stealing sensitive information such as cookies, session tokens, or other private data.
- Performing actions on behalf of the user without their consent (e.g., changing settings, making transactions).
- Defacing the website or redirecting users to malicious sites.
- Undermining user trust and damaging the reputation of the affected site.
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
The vulnerability in the Loco Translate plugin is a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) via the 'update_href' parameter. Detection involves monitoring HTTP requests to the WordPress site for suspicious or unexpected input in this parameter.
You can detect attempts to exploit this vulnerability by inspecting web server logs or using network monitoring tools to look for requests containing suspicious script tags or encoded payloads in the 'update_href' parameter.
- Use grep or similar tools on your web server access logs to find requests with 'update_href' parameters containing suspicious content, for example:
- grep -i 'update_href=.*<script' /var/log/apache2/access.log
- Use a web application firewall (WAF) or intrusion detection system (IDS) to alert on reflected XSS patterns targeting the 'update_href' parameter.
- Manually test the plugin by sending crafted HTTP requests with script payloads in the 'update_href' parameter and observe if the payload is reflected and executed.
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
The immediate mitigation step is to update the Loco Translate plugin to a version that includes the security fix for CVE-2026-4146, such as version 2.8.3-dev or later.
The update addresses the vulnerability by adding restrictions on viewing source code references and properly escaping update links to prevent injection.
If updating immediately is not possible, consider disabling or restricting access to the plugin's update notification features or the affected parameters to reduce exposure.
Additionally, ensure your WordPress installation and PHP version meet the recommended minimum versions (PHP 7.4 or higher) as part of overall security hygiene.
Monitor your site for suspicious activity and consider implementing or tuning a web application firewall to block reflected XSS attempts targeting this plugin.
How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:
The vulnerability in the Loco Translate plugin is a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) issue that allows unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts by exploiting insufficient input sanitization and output escaping.
Such XSS vulnerabilities can lead to unauthorized script execution in users' browsers, potentially resulting in session hijacking, data theft, or manipulation of user interactions.
While the provided context does not explicitly mention compliance with standards like GDPR or HIPAA, XSS vulnerabilities generally pose risks to data confidentiality and integrity, which are critical aspects of these regulations.
Organizations using vulnerable versions of this plugin may face compliance challenges if the vulnerability is exploited to access or manipulate personal or sensitive data, as required protections under GDPR, HIPAA, and similar standards could be considered insufficient.