📄 Description (English)
The Hostel plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via the 'shortcode_id' parameter in all versions up to, and including, 1.1.6 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that execute if they can successfully trick a user into performing an action such as clicking on a link.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
The Hostel WordPress plugin versions up to 1.1.6 contains a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the 'shortcode_id' parameter due to insufficient input sanitization. Unauthenticated attackers can inject malicious scripts that execute in users' browsers if victims click a crafted link. With no patch currently available and no active exploit in the wild, immediate mitigation through plugin disabling or replacement is recommended for Saudi organizations using this plugin.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: May 23, 2026 22:19
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
This vulnerability primarily affects Saudi organizations operating WordPress-based websites, particularly those in e-commerce, hospitality, and tourism sectors that may utilize the Hostel plugin for booking management. Government websites, educational institutions, and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) using WordPress are at risk. The vulnerability could lead to credential theft, session hijacking, malware distribution, and defacement. Organizations under SAMA oversight managing online services and NCA-regulated entities with web presence face compliance implications if customer data is compromised through XSS attacks.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
E-commerce and Hospitality
Tourism and Travel
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
Government Web Services
Educational Institutions
Healthcare Facilities with Online Booking
Real Estate and Property Management
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
5.8
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
Immediate Actions:
1. Audit all WordPress installations to identify if Hostel plugin version 1.1.6 or earlier is installed
2. If plugin is not essential, immediately deactivate and remove the Hostel plugin
3. If plugin functionality is required, implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to block requests containing script tags in the 'shortcode_id' parameter
Patching Guidance:
4. Monitor the plugin's official repository for security updates; contact the plugin developer for patch timeline
5. Consider migrating to alternative, actively maintained hostel/booking plugins with better security practices
Compensating Controls:
6. Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict script execution: Content-Security-Policy: script-src 'self'
7. Enable WordPress security plugins (Wordfence, Sucuri) with XSS detection capabilities
8. Apply input validation at the application level to sanitize 'shortcode_id' parameter using WordPress sanitization functions (sanitize_text_field, wp_kses_post)
9. Enforce output escaping using esc_attr() or esc_html() for all user-controlled data
Detection Rules:
10. Monitor access logs for requests containing encoded script tags (%3Cscript, <script) in query parameters
11. Alert on unusual JavaScript execution patterns in user sessions
12. Implement SIEM rules to detect multiple XSS injection attempts from single IP addresses
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. تدقيق جميع تثبيتات WordPress لتحديد ما إذا كان مكون Hostel الإصدار 1.1.6 أو أقدم مثبتاً
2. إذا لم يكن المكون ضرورياً، قم بتعطيل وإزالة مكون Hostel فوراً
3. إذا كانت وظيفة المكون مطلوبة، قم بتنفيذ قاعدة جدار حماية تطبيقات الويب (WAF) لحظر الطلبات التي تحتوي على علامات البرامج النصية في معامل 'shortcode_id'
إرشادات التصحيح:
4. راقب مستودع المكون الرسمي للتحديثات الأمنية؛ اتصل بمطور المكون للحصول على جدول زمني للتصحيح
5. فكر في الترحيل إلى مكونات حجز/فندقة بديلة يتم صيانتها بنشاط مع ممارسات أمان أفضل
الضوابط التعويضية:
6. تنفيذ رؤوس سياسة أمان المحتوى (CSP) لتقييد تنفيذ البرامج النصية: Content-Security-Policy: script-src 'self'
7. تفعيل مكونات أمان WordPress (Wordfence, Sucuri) مع قدرات كشف XSS
8. تطبيق التحقق من صحة المدخلات على مستوى التطبيق لتنظيف معامل 'shortcode_id' باستخدام وظائف تنظيف WordPress (sanitize_text_field, wp_kses_post)
9. فرض الإفصاح عن المخرجات باستخدام esc_attr() أو esc_html() لجميع البيانات التي يتحكم فيها المستخدم
قواعد الكشف:
10. مراقبة سجلات الوصول للطلبات التي تحتوي على علامات برامج نصية مشفرة (%3Cscript, <script) في معاملات الاستعلام
11. التنبيه على أنماط تنفيذ JavaScript غير العادية في جلسات المستخدم
12. تنفيذ قواعد SIEM للكشف عن محاولات حقن XSS المتعددة من عناوين IP واحدة
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC 2024 A.14.2.1 - Information security requirements for supplier relationships
ECC 2024 A.14.2.5 - Addressing information security in supplier agreements
ECC 2024 A.5.23 - Web application security and secure coding practices
🔵 SAMA CSF
SAMA CSF 2.1 - Asset Management and Inventory Control
SAMA CSF 3.2 - Access Control and Authentication
SAMA CSF 4.1 - Detection and Analysis of Security Events
SAMA CSF 5.1 - Incident Response Planning and Procedures
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
ISO 27001:2022 A.5.23 - Web application security
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.2 - Privileged access rights
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.3 - Information access restriction
ISO 27001:2022 A.14.2 - Supplier relationships
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0.1
PCI DSS 6.5.7 - Cross-site scripting (XSS) prevention
PCI DSS 6.5.1 - Injection flaws prevention
PCI DSS 11.3 - Penetration testing and vulnerability scanning
🔗 References & Sources 9
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https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/hostel/tags/1.1.6/controllers/ajax.php#L28
security@wordfence.com
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/hostel/tags/1.1.6/hostel.php#L44
security@wordfence.com
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/hostel/tags/1.1.6/views/partial/rooms-table....
security@wordfence.com
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/hostel/trunk/controllers/ajax.php#L28
security@wordfence.com
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/hostel/trunk/hostel.php#L44
security@wordfence.com
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/hostel/trunk/views/partial/rooms-table.html....
security@wordfence.com
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3478265/hostel/trunk/hostel.php
security@wordfence.com
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?old_path=%2Fhostel/tags/1.1.6&new_path=%2F...
security@wordfence.com
https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/2b9da491-771a-4100-b41a-74119...
security@wordfence.com