CVE-2025-53460Network attack vector

Administrator stored XSS via unescaped plugin input

Published Sep 22, 2025 · Updated Apr 28, 2026

Stored XSS in Syed Balkhi AffiliateWP External Referral Links 1.2.0 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to inject scripts. Public records identify insufficient input sanitization and output escaping but do not disclose the affected field, handler, or rendering path. Administrator access is required, and the flaw affects multisite installations or sites with unfiltered_html disabled; injected scripts execute when a user views the stored page.

CVSS severity5.9
Medium
EPSS probability0.30%
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 Syed Balkhi AffiliateWP External Referral Links 1.2.0 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to inject scripts. Public records identify insufficient input sanitization and output escaping but do not disclose the affected field, handler, or rendering path. Administrator access is required, and the flaw affects multisite installations or sites with unfiltered_html disabled; injected scripts execute when a user views the stored page.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-53460
Published
Sep 22, 2025
Updated
Apr 28, 2026
Vendor
Michael Tran
Product
AffiliateWP External Referral Links
Classifications
CWE-79, T1059.007
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 22, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 28, 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 <=1.2.0 changes=[{"at":"1.2.2","status":"unaffected"}]

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Michael Tran · AffiliateWP External Referral Linksversion=0 <=1.2.0 changes=[{"at":"1.2.2","status":"unaffected"}]

Published CVSS scores

4.4WordfenceCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
5.9PatchstackCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L

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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-79Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
T1059.007JavaScript/JScript

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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