CVE-2026-3995
CWE-79Published: April 16, 2026· Updated: Apr 22, 2026
Official Description
The OPEN-BRAIN plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the 'API Key' settings field in all versions up to, and including, 0.5.0. This is due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. The plugin uses sanitize_text_field() which strips HTML tags but does not encode double quotes or other HTML-special characters needed for safe attribute context output. The API key value is saved via update_option() and later output into an HTML input element's value attribute without esc_attr() escaping. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Administrator-level access, to inject arbitrary web scripts via attribute breakout payloads (e.g., double quotes followed by event handlers) that execute whenever a user accesses the plugin settings page.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-3995 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
Exploitation requires high privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
The vulnerability has a "Changed" scope, meaning successful exploitation can impact components beyond the vulnerable component itself — such as the host operating system or adjacent services.
From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-79): Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities allow attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
All References (9)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-79)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2026-3995 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts