CVE-2026-5217

CVE-2026-5217 is a high-severity vulnerability with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.2. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-79.

Key facts

Description

The Optimole – Optimize Images | Convert WebP & AVIF | CDN & Lazy Load | Image Optimization plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting in all versions up to, and including, 4.2.2. This is due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on the user-supplied 's' parameter (srcset descriptor) in the unauthenticated /wp-json/optimole/v1/optimizations REST endpoint. The endpoint validates requests using an HMAC signature and timestamp, but these values are exposed directly in the frontend HTML making them accessible to any visitor. The plugin uses sanitize_text_field() on the descriptor value of rest.php, which strips HTML tags but does not escape double quotes. The poisoned descriptor is then stored via transients (backed by the WordPress options table) and later retrieved and injected verbatim into the srcset attribute of tag_replacer.php without proper escaping. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts into pages that will execute whenever a user accesses the injected page.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-5217?
The Optimole – Optimize Images | Convert WebP & AVIF | CDN & Lazy Load | Image Optimization plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting in all versions up to, and including, 4.2.2. This is due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on the user-supplied 's' parameter (srcset descriptor) in the unauthenticated /wp-json/optimole/v1/optimizations REST endpoint. The endpoint validates requests using an HMAC signature and timestamp, but these values are exposed directly in the frontend HTML making them accessible to any visitor. The plugin uses sanitize_text_field() on the descriptor value of rest.php, which strips HTML tags but does not escape double quotes. The poisoned descriptor is then stored via transients (backed by the WordPress options table) and later retrieved and injected verbatim into the srcset attribute of tag_replacer.php without proper escaping. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts into pages that will execute whenever a user accesses the injected page.
How severe is CVE-2026-5217?
CVE-2026-5217 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.2, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity low, and availability none.
Is CVE-2026-5217 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (35th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How do I fix CVE-2026-5217?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
Does CVE-2026-5217 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2026-5217 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-21662.
When was CVE-2026-5217 published?
CVE-2026-5217 was published on 2026-04-11 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Other CWE-79 (Cross-site Scripting (XSS)) vulnerabilities

Browse all CWE-79 (Cross-site Scripting (XSS)) vulnerabilities →