📄 Description (English)
The Any Post Slider plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the plugin's aps_slider shortcode in all versions up to, and including, 1.0.4 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on the 'post_type' attribute. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Contributor-level access and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
The Any Post Slider WordPress plugin (versions ≤1.0.4) contains a Stored XSS vulnerability in the aps_slider shortcode that allows authenticated contributors to inject malicious scripts. While requiring contributor-level access, the vulnerability poses significant risk to WordPress-based government and corporate websites in Saudi Arabia where multiple users manage content. No patch is currently available, requiring immediate mitigation through plugin disabling or replacement.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: May 15, 2026 19:41
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
High impact for Saudi government agencies, municipalities, and corporate websites using WordPress with multiple content contributors. Most at-risk sectors: Government (NCA, CITC), Banking (SAMA-regulated institutions), Healthcare (MOH), and Corporate Communications. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in organizations where contributor accounts are shared or where access controls are not strictly enforced. Malicious scripts could be used for credential harvesting, malware distribution, or defacement of official communications.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Government (NCA, CITC, Municipalities)
Banking (SAMA-regulated institutions)
Healthcare (MOH, Private hospitals)
Energy (ARAMCO subsidiaries)
Telecommunications (STC, Mobily)
Education (Universities, Schools)
Corporate Communications
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
6.8
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Disable the Any Post Slider plugin immediately via WordPress admin dashboard
2. Audit all pages/posts using the aps_slider shortcode for suspicious content
3. Review contributor account activity logs for the past 90 days
4. Check website access logs for unusual script injection attempts
PATCHING GUIDANCE:
1. Do not update to a newer version until vendor releases a patched version
2. Monitor plugin repository for security updates
3. Consider alternative slider plugins with better security track records (e.g., Elementor, Slider Revolution with current patches)
COMPENSATING CONTROLS:
1. Restrict contributor role to trusted users only; audit existing contributors
2. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect/block XSS payloads in shortcode attributes
3. Enable WordPress security plugins (Wordfence, Sucuri) with XSS detection
4. Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to prevent inline script execution
5. Use WordPress role management to limit who can create/edit posts with shortcodes
DETECTION RULES:
1. Monitor for shortcode usage: grep -r 'aps_slider' wp-content/
2. Alert on post_type attribute containing script tags or event handlers
3. Log all contributor-level post modifications
4. WAF rule: Block requests containing 'aps_slider' with encoded/obfuscated payloads
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. تعطيل مكون Any Post Slider فوراً عبر لوحة تحكم WordPress
2. تدقيق جميع الصفحات/المنشورات التي تستخدم اختصار aps_slider للبحث عن محتوى مريب
3. مراجعة سجلات نشاط حسابات المساهمين لآخر 90 يوماً
4. فحص سجلات وصول الموقع للبحث عن محاولات حقن برامج نصية غير عادية
إرشادات التصحيح:
1. عدم التحديث إلى إصدار أحدث حتى يصدر البائع نسخة مصححة
2. مراقبة مستودع المكونات للتحديثات الأمنية
3. النظر في مكونات منزلقة بديلة بسجلات أمان أفضل
الضوابط التعويضية:
1. تقييد دور المساهم للمستخدمين الموثوقين فقط
2. تنفيذ قواعد جدار حماية تطبيقات الويب لكشف/حجب حمولات XSS
3. تفعيل مكونات أمان WordPress (Wordfence, Sucuri)
4. تنفيذ رؤوس سياسة أمان المحتوى (CSP)
5. استخدام إدارة أدوار WordPress لتحديد من يمكنه إنشاء/تحرير المنشورات
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
A.14.2.1 - Secure development policy (input validation and output encoding)
A.14.2.5 - Secure development environment
A.12.6.1 - Management of technical vulnerabilities
🔵 SAMA CSF
ID.SC-7 - Software, firmware, and information integrity checks
PR.DS-6 - Integrity checking mechanisms
DE.CM-8 - Vulnerability scans
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
A.14.2.1 - Secure development policy
A.14.2.4 - Secure system engineering principles
A.12.6.1 - Management of technical vulnerabilities
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0.1
6.5.7 - Cross-site scripting (XSS)
6.2 - Ensure security patches are installed
🔗 References & Sources 4
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https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/any-post-slider/tags/1.0.4/public/partials/a...
security@wordfence.com
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/any-post-slider/trunk/public/partials/any-po...
security@wordfence.com
https://wordpress.org/plugins/any-post-slider
security@wordfence.com
https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/562f194f-1f32-4de4-8074-84580...
security@wordfence.com