PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief
CVE-2026-3618 bestweblayout CVE debrief
The Columns by BestWebSoft plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the 'id' shortcode attribute of the [print_clmns] shortcode in all versions up to and including 1.0.3. This is due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on the 'id' attribute. The shortcode receives the 'id' parameter via shortcode_atts() at line 596 and directly embeds it into HTML output at line 731 (in a div id attribute) and into inline CSS at lines 672-729 without any escaping or sanitization. While the SQL query uses %d to cast the value to an integer for database lookup, the original unsanitized string value of $id is still used in the HTML/CSS output. 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. The attack requires that at least one column exists in the plugin (created by an admin), as the SQL query must return results for the output branch to be reached.
- Vendor
- bestweblayout
- Product
- Columns by BestWebSoft – Additional Columns Plugin for Posts Pages and Widgets
- CVSS
- MEDIUM 6.4
- CISA KEV
- Not listed in stored evidence
- Original CVE published
- 2026-04-08
- Original CVE updated
- 2026-07-24
- Advisory published
- 2026-04-08
- Advisory updated
- 2026-07-24
Who should care
Users of the Columns by BestWebSoft plugin for WordPress, particularly those with Contributor-level access or above, should be aware of this vulnerability and take steps to mitigate it. This vulnerability could allow attackers to inject malicious scripts into pages, potentially leading to unauthorized actions or data breaches.
Technical summary
The Columns by BestWebSoft plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on the 'id' attribute of the [print_clmns] shortcode. The vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 1.0.3. An authenticated attacker with Contributor-level access or above can exploit this vulnerability by injecting arbitrary web scripts into pages, which will execute when a user accesses the injected page. The attack requires at least one column to exist in the plugin, created by an admin, as the SQL query must return results for the output branch to be reached.
Defensive priority
Medium
Recommended defensive actions
- Update the Columns by BestWebSoft plugin to a version that fixes this vulnerability, if available.
- Restrict access to the plugin's functionality to prevent unauthorized users from injecting malicious scripts.
- Implement additional security measures, such as Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules, to detect and prevent XSS attacks.
- Regularly monitor the plugin for updates and security advisories.
- Consider using a security plugin or service to provide additional protection against XSS attacks.
Evidence notes
The CVE record was published on 2026-04-08T07:16:21.887Z and was last modified on 2026-07-24T21:10:00.143Z. The NVD entry is currently Deferred. The vulnerability was reported by [email protected].
Official resources
AI-assisted PatchSiren debrief based on the supplied source corpus. The CVE record was published on 2026-04-08T07:16:21.887Z and has not been modified since then. The NVD entry is currently Deferred.