📄 Description (English)
wpForo Forum 2.4.14 contains a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that allows administrators to inject persistent JavaScript via forum description fields echoed without output escaping across multiple theme template files. On multisite installations or with a compromised admin account, attackers set a forum description containing HTML event handlers that execute when any user views the forum listing.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
wpForo Forum 2.4.14 contains a stored XSS vulnerability in forum description fields that allows administrators or attackers with admin access to inject malicious JavaScript. The vulnerability affects multisite WordPress installations where the injected code persists and executes for all users viewing forum listings. With no patch currently available, organizations using wpForo must implement immediate compensating controls.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: May 25, 2026 23:48
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
Saudi organizations operating WordPress-based community platforms, particularly in government portals, educational institutions, and corporate communication systems, face significant risk. The vulnerability is particularly critical for ARAMCO subsidiary portals, STC customer forums, and government citizen engagement platforms using wpForo. Compromised admin accounts could lead to widespread malware distribution, credential harvesting, and defacement affecting thousands of users. Financial sector organizations using wpForo for customer communities face regulatory compliance violations under SAMA CSF.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Government
Education
Banking
Energy (ARAMCO subsidiaries)
Telecommunications (STC)
Healthcare
Corporate Communications
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
6.8
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Audit all wpForo installations to identify version 2.4.14 and earlier vulnerable versions
2. Review admin account access logs for unauthorized changes to forum descriptions
3. Inspect all forum description fields for suspicious HTML/JavaScript content
4. Disable forum descriptions temporarily if containing untrusted content
COMPENSATING CONTROLS:
1. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to block script tags and event handlers in forum descriptions
2. Apply output encoding at the template level using WordPress escaping functions (esc_html, wp_kses_post)
3. Restrict admin role assignment to trusted personnel only; implement MFA for all admin accounts
4. Deploy Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to prevent inline script execution
5. Monitor forum description modifications via WordPress audit logging
DETECTION:
1. Search database for forum descriptions containing: <script, onerror=, onclick=, onload=, javascript:
2. Monitor wp_postmeta and wpforo_forums tables for suspicious modifications
3. Alert on any changes to forum descriptions by non-standard admin accounts
4. Log all admin panel access and description field modifications
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. تدقيق جميع تثبيتات wpForo لتحديد الإصدار 2.4.14 والإصدارات الأقدم الضعيفة
2. مراجعة سجلات وصول حساب المسؤول للتغييرات غير المصرح بها في وصف المنتدى
3. فحص جميع حقول وصف المنتدى للبحث عن محتوى HTML/JavaScript مريب
4. تعطيل أوصاف المنتدى مؤقتاً إذا كانت تحتوي على محتوى غير موثوق
الضوابط التعويضية:
1. تنفيذ قواعد جدار حماية تطبيقات الويب (WAF) لحظر علامات البرامج النصية ومعالجات الأحداث في أوصاف المنتديات
2. تطبيق ترميز الإخراج على مستوى القالب باستخدام وظائف الهروب في WordPress
3. تقييد تعيين دور المسؤول للموظفين الموثوقين فقط؛ تنفيذ المصادقة متعددة العوامل لجميع حسابات المسؤول
4. نشر رؤوس سياسة أمان المحتوى (CSP) لمنع تنفيذ البرامج النصية المضمنة
5. مراقبة تعديلات وصف المنتدى عبر تسجيل تدقيق WordPress
الكشف:
1. البحث في قاعدة البيانات عن أوصاف المنتديات التي تحتوي على: <script, onerror=, onclick=, onload=, javascript:
2. مراقبة جداول wp_postmeta و wpforo_forums للتعديلات المريبة
3. التنبيه على أي تغييرات في أوصاف المنتديات بواسطة حسابات مسؤول غير قياسية
4. تسجيل جميع عمليات الوصول إلى لوحة المسؤول وتعديلات حقول الوصف
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
A.5.1.1 - Information security policies and procedures
A.6.1.1 - Access control policy
A.6.2.1 - User registration and access rights management
A.7.1.1 - Physical and environmental security
A.12.2.1 - Restrictions on software installation
A.14.2.1 - Security requirements analysis and specification
🔵 SAMA CSF
ID.AM-2 - Software inventory and management
PR.AC-1 - Access control policy enforcement
PR.AC-4 - Access rights management
PR.PT-1 - Security architecture and design
DE.CM-1 - System monitoring and anomaly detection
RS.MI-2 - Incident response and containment
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
A.5.1.1 - Information security policies
A.6.1.1 - Access control policy
A.6.2.1 - User access management
A.12.2.1 - Restrictions on software installation
A.14.2.1 - Security requirements
A.14.2.5 - Secure development environment
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0.1
Requirement 6.2 - Security patches and updates
Requirement 6.5.1 - Injection flaws prevention
Requirement 6.5.7 - Cross-site scripting prevention
Requirement 7.1 - Access control implementation
🔗 References & Sources 3
🔗
https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpforo/
disclosure@vulncheck.com
Product
🔗
https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpforo/#developers
disclosure@vulncheck.com
Release Notes
🔗
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/wpforo-forum-stored-xss-via-unescaped-forum-descri...
disclosure@vulncheck.com
Third Party Advisory
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
gvectors:wpforo_forum