CVE-2026-4278
Simple Download Counter <= 2.3 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via 'text' Shortcode Attribute
- State
- Published
- Severity
- 6.4 Medium
- Published
- Mar 26, 2026
- Updated
- Apr 8, 2026
- Reserved
- Mar 16, 2026
Description
The Simple Download Counter plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the 'sdc_menu' shortcode in all versions up to, and including, 2.3. This is due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user-supplied shortcode attributes, specifically the 'text' and 'cat' attributes. The 'text' attribute is output directly into HTML content on line 159 without any escaping (e.g., esc_html()). The 'cat' attribute is used unescaped in HTML class attributes on lines 135 and 157 without esc_attr(). 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.
Scores
| CVSS | Score | Vector | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | 6.4 Medium | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N | Wordfence |
Weaknesses
- CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
Affected Products
| Product | Versions |
|---|---|
Simple Download Counterspecialk |
|
References
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/f23dec73-9031-4829-a84b-4979c8e8ded4?source=cve
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/simple-download-counter/trunk/inc/functions-shortcode.php#L159
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/simple-download-counter/tags/2.3/inc/functions-shortcode.php#L159
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/simple-download-counter/trunk/inc/functions-shortcode.php#L135
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/simple-download-counter/tags/2.3/inc/functions-shortcode.php#L135
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/simple-download-counter/trunk/inc/functions-shortcode.php#L157
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/simple-download-counter/tags/2.3/inc/functions-shortcode.php#L157
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/simple-download-counter/trunk/inc/functions-shortcode.php#L92
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/simple-download-counter/tags/2.3/inc/functions-shortcode.php#L92
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?sfp_email=&sfph_mail=&reponame=&old=3487364%40simple-download-counter&new=3487364%40simple-download-counter&sfp_email=&sfph_mail=
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