📄 Description (English)
The Content Slideshow plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Shortcode Attributes in all versions up to, and including, 2.4.1 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. 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 Content Slideshow WordPress plugin (versions ≤2.4.1) contains a Stored XSS vulnerability in shortcode attributes that allows authenticated contributors to inject malicious scripts. While requiring contributor-level access, this poses significant risk to Saudi organizations using WordPress for public-facing content, government portals, and e-commerce platforms. No patch is currently available, requiring immediate compensating controls.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: May 28, 2026 16:55
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
High impact for Saudi government entities (NCA, CITC), banking sector (SAMA-regulated institutions), healthcare providers (MOH), and e-commerce platforms. WordPress is widely deployed across Saudi organizations for content management. The vulnerability particularly threatens: (1) Government information portals and citizen-facing services, (2) Bank websites and customer portals, (3) Healthcare facility websites, (4) E-commerce platforms under CITC oversight. Insider threat risk is elevated given contributor-level requirement.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Government (NCA, CITC, Ministry of Interior)
Banking & Financial Services (SAMA-regulated)
Healthcare (Ministry of Health)
E-commerce & Retail
Education (Universities, Schools)
Telecommunications (STC, Mobily)
Energy Sector (ARAMCO subsidiaries)
Real Estate & Property Management
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
6.8
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Audit all WordPress installations using Content Slideshow plugin ≤2.4.1 across your organization
2. Restrict contributor role permissions: disable shortcode usage for non-administrative users via role management plugins
3. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block XSS payloads in shortcode attributes
4. Review user access logs for suspicious contributor account activity (last 90 days)
COMPENSATING CONTROLS:
5. Disable the Content Slideshow plugin immediately if not critical; use alternative slideshow solutions
6. If plugin is required: implement content security policy (CSP) headers with strict-dynamic and nonce-based script execution
7. Enable WordPress security plugins (Wordfence, Sucuri) with XSS detection rules
8. Implement code review process for all shortcode usage before publication
DETECTION:
9. Monitor for shortcode attributes containing: <script>, javascript:, onerror=, onload=, event handlers
10. Log all contributor-level post/page modifications
11. Implement SIEM rules for XSS pattern detection in WordPress database queries
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. تدقيق جميع تثبيتات ووردبريس التي تستخدم مكون Content Slideshow ≤2.4.1 عبر المنظمة
2. تقييد صلاحيات دور المساهم: تعطيل استخدام الاختصارات للمستخدمين غير الإداريين عبر مكونات إدارة الأدوار
3. تطبيق قواعد جدار حماية تطبيقات الويب (WAF) للكشف عن حقن XSS وحجبها في سمات الاختصار
4. مراجعة سجلات وصول المستخدمين للنشاط المريب على حسابات المساهمين (آخر 90 يوم)
الضوابط التعويضية:
5. تعطيل مكون Content Slideshow فوراً إذا لم يكن حرجياً؛ استخدام حلول عرض شرائح بديلة
6. إذا كان المكون مطلوباً: تطبيق رؤوس سياسة أمان المحتوى (CSP) مع تنفيذ البرامج النصية القائمة على nonce
7. تفعيل مكونات أمان ووردبريس (Wordfence, Sucuri) مع قواعد كشف XSS
8. تطبيق عملية مراجعة الكود لجميع استخدامات الاختصار قبل النشر
الكشف:
9. مراقبة سمات الاختصار التي تحتوي على: <script>، javascript:، onerror=، onload=، معالجات الأحداث
10. تسجيل جميع تعديلات المنشورات/الصفحات على مستوى المساهم
11. تطبيق قواعس SIEM للكشف عن أنماط XSS في استعلامات قاعدة بيانات ووردبريس
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
A.5.1.1 - Information security policies and procedures
A.6.1.1 - User access management and authentication
A.7.1.1 - Physical and environmental security
A.8.1.1 - Asset management and inventory
A.12.2.1 - Change management procedures
A.14.1.1 - Information security incident management
🔵 SAMA CSF
Governance & Risk Management - Third-party risk (plugin vulnerabilities)
Information Security - Application security and secure development
Operational Resilience - Incident detection and response
Cyber Security - Vulnerability management and patch management
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
A.5.1 - Management direction for information security
A.6.1 - Internal organization
A.8.1 - Asset management
A.12.2 - Change management
A.12.6 - Management of technical vulnerabilities
A.14.1 - Information security incident management
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0.1
Requirement 6.2 - Ensure security patches are installed
Requirement 6.5 - Injection flaws prevention
Requirement 11.2 - Vulnerability scanning
🔗 References & Sources 3
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https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/content-slideshow/tags/2.4.1/slideshow-widge...
security@wordfence.com
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/content-slideshow/tags/2.4.1/slideshow-widge...
security@wordfence.com
https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/9548f647-9fcb-481c-874e-01846...
security@wordfence.com