dbcve.org
Cross-site Scripting (XSS)Weakness · CWE-79

CVE-2026-8438

HIGH · 7.2 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-06-06
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
81/100
Remediation priority · High
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
The All-In-One Security (AIOS) – Security and Firewall plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting in versions up to and including 5.4.7. This is due to insufficient input sanitization in the get_rest_route() function and missing output escaping in the column_default() method of the debug log list table. When the 'Disable REST API for non-logged in users' feature (aiowps_disallow_unauthorized_rest_requests) is enabled alongside debug logging (aiowps_enable_debug), an unauthenticated attacker can embed arbitrary HTML or JavaScript in the REST request path. The path is retrieved via urldecode($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']), which decodes URL-encoded payloads into literal HTML characters. This decoded, unsanitized value is concatenated directly into a debug log message and stored in the database. When an administrator navigates to the AIOS Dashboard Debug Logs page, the column_default() method returns the raw database value without escaping, and the parent list table echoes it directly, causing JavaScript execution in the administrator's browser session. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts that execute when an administrator views the debug log page, enabling nonce theft, privileged AJAX/REST actions, and potential full site compromise.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

The All-In-One Security plugin for WordPress has a stored XSS vulnerability in versions up to 5.4.7. When debug logging is enabled alongside the REST API restriction feature, an unauthenticated attacker can send malicious requests with URL-encoded HTML/JavaScript in the REST path. The get_rest_route() function uses urldecode($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']) which decodes these payloads, then stores the unsanitized value directly in the database. When administrators view the Debug Logs page, the column_default() method returns this stored value without output escaping, causing the injected script to execute in their browser.

MitigationUpdate to a patched version of the plugin that adds proper input sanitization in get_rest_route() and output escaping in column_default(). Until patched, consider disabling the debug logging feature (aiowps_enable_debug) to prevent exploitation.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Confirm AIOS plugin installation and version
    In WordPress admin, go to Plugins > Installed Plugins and locate 'All In One Security (AIOS)'. Note the version number displayed. Compare this version to the patched version 5.4.7 - versions at or below 5.4.7 are potentially affected.
    Affected if AIOS plugin version 5.4.7 or lower is installed
  2. Check if debug logging is enabled
    Navigate to AIOS plugin settings, typically under 'Security' or 'Settings' menu. Look for a 'Debug Logging' or 'Logging' section. Determine whether the debug logging toggle is set to enabled or active.
    Affected if Debug logging feature is turned ON in AIOS settings
  3. Verify REST API restriction configuration
    In AIOS plugin settings, locate the REST API related options, often found under 'REST API' or 'API Settings'. Check if there is an option labeled 'Disable REST API for non-logged in users' or similar, and note its current state.
    Affected if The REST API disable feature for non-logged-in users is configured (whether enabled or disabled, this indicates the vulnerable feature set is present)
  4. Inspect debug log file for suspicious entries
    Access the AIOS debug log file, typically located in wp-content/uploads/aios-logs/ or similar path within wp-content. Open the most recent log file and search for URL-encoded patterns, script tags, or JavaScript keywords in what appears to be request path data.
    Affected if Debug logs contain URL-encoded path data with injected script tags or unusual JavaScript content

The environment is affected if AIOS plugin version 5.4.7 or lower is installed with debug logging enabled, regardless of REST API setting state, as the vulnerable code path exists in the plugin.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

From vendor data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Update to a patched version of the plugin that adds proper input sanitization in get_rest_route() and output escaping in column_default(). Until patched, consider disabling the debug logging feature (aiowps_enable_debug) to prevent exploitation.

Have this fixed Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation6.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
14.0 hours of engineering $2,490
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-8438 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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