CVE-2026-1574: MyQtip WordPress Plugin XSS Vulnerability

CVE-2026-1574 Overview

The MyQtip – easy qTip2 plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) via the plugin's myqtip shortcode in all versions up to, and including, 2.0.5. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user-supplied attributes. This allows 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.

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers with contributor-level privileges can inject persistent malicious scripts that execute in victims' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or administrative account compromise.

Affected Products

• MyQtip – easy qTip2 WordPress plugin versions up to and including 2.0.5

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-07 - CVE CVE-2026-1574 published to NVD
• 2026-03-09 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-1574

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation), commonly known as Cross-Site Scripting (XSS). The Stored XSS variant is particularly dangerous because the malicious payload persists in the database and executes every time a victim views the affected page.

The vulnerability resides in the shortcode handler within the plugin's register_shortcode.php file. When processing user-supplied attributes for the myqtip shortcode, the plugin fails to properly sanitize input values before storing them and neglects to escape output when rendering the shortcode content on the frontend.

The attack requires contributor-level authentication, which limits the attack surface to authenticated WordPress users. However, in multi-author environments or sites with open user registration, this represents a significant security risk. Malicious contributors can inject JavaScript payloads that execute in the context of any visitor's session, including administrators.

Root Cause

The root cause is insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user-supplied attributes within the myqtip shortcode handler. The plugin directly outputs attribute values without properly applying WordPress sanitization functions such as esc_attr(), esc_html(), or wp_kses() to neutralize potentially malicious input.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires low privileges (contributor-level access). An attacker with contributor privileges can craft a WordPress post or page containing a malicious myqtip shortcode with JavaScript payload embedded in the shortcode attributes. When the content is saved and subsequently viewed by any user—including administrators—the injected script executes in their browser context.

The vulnerability can be exploited to steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of the victim, deface website content, or redirect users to malicious sites. Administrative users viewing the malicious content could have their sessions compromised, leading to full site takeover.

For technical details on the vulnerable code, refer to the WordPress Plugin Source Code.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-1574

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual JavaScript code within post or page content using myqtip shortcodes
• Unexpected shortcode attributes containing encoded or obfuscated scripts
• Reports from users experiencing browser redirects or suspicious behavior on specific pages
• Web application firewall logs showing XSS patterns in POST requests to WordPress editor

Detection Strategies

• Review WordPress posts and pages for myqtip shortcodes containing suspicious attributes such as onclick, onerror, javascript:, or <script> tags
• Implement content security policies (CSP) to detect and block inline script execution
• Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) with XSS detection rules targeting shortcode injection patterns
• Audit contributor and author user accounts for suspicious activity or unauthorized content modifications

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging of post and page modifications in WordPress
• Monitor web server access logs for unusual patterns following content publication
• Implement real-time alerting for content containing potential XSS payloads
• Review user activity logs for contributors creating content with embedded scripts

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-1574

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the MyQtip – easy qTip2 plugin to a patched version when available
• Review all existing posts and pages using the myqtip shortcode for malicious content
• Consider temporarily disabling the plugin until a security patch is released
• Audit contributor and author user accounts and revoke access for any suspicious users

Patch Information

Monitor the Wordfence Vulnerability Report for updates on available patches. Check the WordPress plugin repository for updated versions of MyQtip that address this vulnerability. Until patched, consider restricting contributor access or implementing additional content filtering.

Workarounds

• Restrict contributor-level access to trusted users only until a patch is available
• Implement a web application firewall rule to filter potentially malicious shortcode attributes
• Use WordPress security plugins to scan content for XSS patterns before publication
• Consider temporarily deactivating the MyQtip plugin if it is not critical to site functionality

# Search for potentially malicious myqtip shortcodes in WordPress database
wp db query "SELECT ID, post_title FROM wp_posts WHERE post_content LIKE '%[myqtip%script%' OR post_content LIKE '%[myqtip%javascript:%' OR post_content LIKE '%[myqtip%onerror%';"