CVE-2023-5774Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Stored XSS via unescaped shortcode CSS attribute

Published Oct 27, 2023 · Updated Apr 8, 2026

Stored XSS in freeben Animated Counters 1.7 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to run scripts through crafted shortcodes. The shortcode renderer accepts a user-controlled CSS attribute without sufficient sanitization or output escaping, allowing event-handler markup to persist in a post. Contributor-level access is sufficient, and the script executes in a visitor's browser when the injected page is opened.

CVSS severity6.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.48%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Stored XSS in freeben Animated Counters 1.7 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to run scripts through crafted shortcodes. The shortcode renderer accepts a user-controlled CSS attribute without sufficient sanitization or output escaping, allowing event-handler markup to persist in a post. Contributor-level access is sufficient, and the script executes in a visitor's browser when the injected page is opened.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-5774
Published
Oct 27, 2023
Updated
Apr 8, 2026
Vendor
freeben
Product
Animated Counters
Classifications
CWE-79, T1203
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 27, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 8, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <=1.7

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

freeben · Animated Countersversion=0 <=1.7

Published CVSS scores

6.4WordfenceCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-79Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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