CVE-2026-3639
CVE-2026-3639 — PPWP – Password Protect Pages <= 1.9.21 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Shortcode Attributes
The PPWP – Password Protect Pages plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the plugin's `ppwp` shortcode attributes in all versions up to, and including, 1.9.21 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user supplied attributes. 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.
Published Updated Sources: NVD, buildwps (CNA), GitHub, GitHub Security Advisory, SOCRadar CTI
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the scoring sources call it.
Exploitation
Reported
not confirmed by CISA
EPSS
0%
ahead of 0% of scored CVEs
CVSS base
6.4
medium
Remediation
The vendor's own words where we have them.
Upgrade PPWP – Password Protect Pages to a fixed release. Apply vendor patches per advisory and restrict external exposure of the affected component until patched.
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record's own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found.
- Identify exposed assets running affected vendor/product/version combinations.
- Prioritize based on EPSS, PoC availability, and external exposure.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors, authentication anomalies, or suspicious child processes matching the vulnerability class.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and version as the advisories word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| buildwps | PPWP – Password Protect Pages | 0 to <= 1.9.21 | Vulnerable |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Availability
None
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Scope
Changed
Attack Complexity
Low
Attack Vector
Network
Privileges Req
Low
User Interaction
None
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.4 | CVSS 3.1 | medium | 3.1 | 2.7 | NVD, buildwps (CNA), GHSA |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
What this weakness leads to
MITRE's own consequences and mitigations for the weakness class — the authority's wording, not guidance derived from the CVSS vector.
CWE-79 · Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
- Bypass Protection Mechanism
- Read Application Data
- Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
Mitigation: Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. Examples of libraries and frameworks that make it easier to generate properly encoded output include Microsoft's Anti-XSS library, the OWASP ESAPI Encoding module, and Apache Wicket.
Weakness & attack patterns
- CWE-79Cross-site Scripting
Attack patterns reported against this CVE. The ATT&CK techniques below are inferred from its weakness class.
Public exploit
Capability, not use: code existing is a different claim from anyone running it.
Repositories
12
1 of the 5 sampled are weaponized
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not rules we have tested.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for network-reachable PPWP – Password Protect Pages.
- Monitor for scanner or exploit-pattern traffic after 12 public PoC repositories were reported.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first — with the readings a source repeats on a schedule counted underneath rather than listed.
- 2026
Added · CVSS 3.1 6.4 (AV:N)
Aug 13, 2026 · NVD
Initial · CVE published
Aug 13, 2026 · NVD
Added · GHSA-jgr2-qxr7-gw6v published (medium)
Aug 13, 2026 · GitHub Security Advisory
Reported · Disclosed
Aug 12, 2026 · buildwps
Reported · Vendor Notified
Mar 6, 2026 · buildwps
Source activity
Readings a source repeats on a schedule, counted rather than listed.
- 1×2 times mentioned on 1 Telegram channelsAug 13, 2026 · SOCRadar CTI
References
8 on the record
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/password-protect-page/tags/1.9.15/includes/services/class-ppw-shortcode.php#L582
Vendor Advisory
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/password-protect-page/tags/1.9.15/includes/views/shortcode/view-ppw-restriced-content-form.php#L18
Vendor Advisory
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/password-protect-page/trunk/includes/services/class-ppw-shortcode.php#L582
Vendor Advisory
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/password-protect-page/trunk/includes/views/shortcode/view-ppw-restriced-content-form.php#L18
Vendor Advisory
- plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?old_path=%2Fpassword-protect-page/tags/1.9.19&new_path=%2Fpassword-protect-page/tags/1.9.20
Vendor Advisory
- www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/7fa5206e-8888-4872-b4bd-91fe5628498c?source=cve
Vendor Advisory
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-3639
NVD
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-jgr2-qxr7-gw6v
Exploit, Third Party Advisory
Elsewhere on this site
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record1
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-3639 is PPWP – Password Protect Pages <= 1.9.21 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Shortcode Attributes, a medium vulnerability affecting PPWP – Password Protect Pages from buildwps. The current evidence does not list it in CISA KEV, and the exploit status is: Exploitation is reported, but no independent confirmation is available in the sources we have. Public exploit evidence is: 12 public PoC repositories reported; 1 marked weaponized in current dataset. The affected-version evidence is listed in the key facts and affected products tables. Defenders should first verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run those versions, then apply vendor patches or mitigations, restrict reachable attack surface, and preserve logs for detection review. CVSS 6.4 describes technical severity, while EPSS 0% helps estimate near-term exploit likelihood; neither replaces asset context. Unknown fields should remain explicit in tickets, and threat actor, IOC, victimology, or payload claims should not be added unless a cited source supports them. Monitor CISA KEV, vendor advisories, NVD changes, public PoC repositories, and internal telemetry for update triggers.