Stored XSS via structured-text placeholder collision
Published Apr 1, 2026 · Updated Apr 1, 2026
Stored XSS in XenForo before 2.2.19 and 2.3.0 through 2.3.9 allows remote authenticated users to execute script in viewers' browsers. XF\Str\Formatter::linkStructuredTextMentions lets placeholder-shaped control bytes in a mention username collide with auto-linked HTML placeholders, then restores raw anchor markup inside an escaped data-username attribute. Posting privileges are required, and viewing the stored legacy profile-post content executes attacker-controlled script in another user's XenForo session.
Summary
What happened
Stored XSS in XenForo before 2.2.19 and 2.3.0 through 2.3.9 allows remote authenticated users to execute script in viewers' browsers. XF\Str\Formatter::linkStructuredTextMentions lets placeholder-shaped control bytes in a mention username collide with auto-linked HTML placeholders, then restores raw anchor markup inside an escaped data-username attribute. Posting privileges are required, and viewing the stored legacy profile-post content executes attacker-controlled script in another user's XenForo session.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-35057
- Published
- Apr 1, 2026
- Updated
- Apr 1, 2026
- Vendor
- XenForo Ltd.
- Product
- XenForo
- Classifications
- CWE-79, T1059.007
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 1, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 1, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=0 <2.2.19
- Affected versionversion=2.3.0 <2.3.10
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- XenForo 2.x - Stored XSS via Placeholder Collisionproof of concept · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo