CVE-2026-4011
Stored XSS in Power Charts Lite WordPress Plugin via Shortcode
Publication date: 2026-04-15
Last updated on: 2026-04-15
Assigner: Wordfence
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| power_charts_lite | power_charts_lite | to 0.1.0 (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 Power Charts Lite plugin for WordPress has a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the 'id' parameter of its [pc] shortcode in all versions up to 0.1.0. This happens because the plugin does not properly sanitize or escape the 'id' attribute before inserting it into an HTML div element's class attribute. Specifically, the 'id' value is taken directly from user input and concatenated into HTML without escaping, and then passed through html_entity_decode(), which further reduces safety. As a result, authenticated users with Contributor-level access or higher can inject malicious scripts that execute whenever someone views the affected page.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability allows attackers with Contributor-level access or above to inject arbitrary JavaScript into pages via the 'id' shortcode attribute. When other users visit these pages, the injected scripts execute in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, defacement, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the user. This can compromise the security and integrity of the website and its users.
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
Detection of this vulnerability involves identifying the presence of the Power Charts Lite plugin version 0.1.0 or earlier on WordPress installations and checking for usage of the [pc] shortcode with the 'id' parameter.
Since the vulnerability is a Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the 'id' parameter in the shortcode, you can look for pages or posts containing the [pc] shortcode with suspicious or unexpected values in the 'id' attribute.
There are no specific commands provided in the available resources, but general approaches include:
- Searching the WordPress database for posts or pages containing the [pc] shortcode with the 'id' attribute, e.g., using SQL queries to find shortcode usage.
- Using web vulnerability scanners or security plugins that can detect stored XSS vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins.
- Manually reviewing content or source code for injected scripts or unusual HTML in pages using the plugin.
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
Immediate mitigation steps include:
- Update the Power Charts Lite plugin to a version later than 0.1.0 where this vulnerability is fixed, if available.
- Restrict Contributor-level and higher user permissions to trusted users only, as the vulnerability requires authenticated users with at least Contributor access.
- Temporarily disable or remove the Power Charts Lite plugin if an update is not available.
- Review and sanitize any existing content that uses the [pc] shortcode with the 'id' parameter to remove potentially malicious scripts.
- Implement additional security measures such as Web Application Firewalls (WAF) to block malicious payloads.