CVE-2026-81737
Deferred Deferred - Pending Action

Stored Cross-Site Scripting in FAQ Builder AYS WordPress Plugin

Publication date: 2026-09-02

Last updated on: 2026-09-02

Assigner: WPScan

Description
The FAQ Builder AYS WordPress plugin before 1.8.5 does not sanitize or escape content submitted by unauthenticated visitors before storing it and outputting it in an admin area page, and the escaping it does apply is undone by a subsequent decoding step, leading to Stored XSS which will execute in the context of a logged in administrator.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published
2026-09-02
Last Modified
2026-09-02
Generated
2026-09-10
AI Q&A
2026-09-02
EPSS Evaluated
2026-09-09
NVD
CVE-2026-81737
EUVD
EUVD-2026-69858

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
ays faq_builder to 1.8.5 (exc)

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

This is a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the FAQ Builder AYS WordPress plugin versions before 1.8.5. It allows unauthenticated visitors to submit malicious scripts that get stored in the plugin's database without proper sanitization or escaping. When an administrator views the affected admin page, the script executes in their browser context.

Detection Guidance

Check if the FAQ Builder AYS WordPress plugin version is between 1.6.3 and 1.8.4. Inspect admin area pages for unsanitized user-submitted content that may contain script tags. Look for stored XSS payloads in FAQ entries or user information fields.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to perform unauthorized actions as an administrator, steal session cookies, or take control of the WordPress site. Since it's stored, the attack persists until the plugin is updated or the malicious content is manually removed.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access or data breaches, which may violate GDPR (data protection) or HIPAA (health information privacy) requirements. Organizations using vulnerable versions may face compliance violations and potential fines.

Mitigation Strategies

Update the FAQ Builder AYS plugin to version 1.8.5 or later immediately. If updating is not possible, disable the plugin until the update can be applied. Review stored FAQ entries and user information for malicious scripts and remove them.

Chat Assistant

Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-81737. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70

EPSS Chart