high severityConfidence highHistorical record

WordPress unauth comment XSS before 7.1.1

Direct answer

WordPress unauth comment XSS before 7.1.1, also tracked as CVE-2026-93485 / WordPress 7.1 comment XSS is a high-severity threat campaign HOL Guard tracked from Sep 18, 2026 to Sep 21, 2026, verified against 4 primary sources and last reviewed Sep 21, 2026. Active tracking has ended and the record remains published as a permanent historical research record.

WordPress 7.1.1 fixes a stored XSS issue in `wpautop()` that can accept unauthenticated input subject to comment approval. Update 7.1 sites to 7.1.1. WordPress version documentation lists 7.0.5, 6.9.8, 6.8.9, and 6.7.8 as released with all 11 security fixes from 7.1.1. Verify other older branches individually.

Also tracked as CVE-2026-93485 · WordPress 7.1 comment XSS

First observed
Sep 18, 2026
Last observed
Sep 21, 2026
Last reviewed
Sep 21, 2026
Tracking ended
Sep 21, 2026

Record exports

JSON recordArtifact CSVSTIX 2.1 bundle
WordPress unauthenticated comment XSS campaign illustration
WordPress unauthenticated comment XSS campaign illustration

Uncertainty and limitations

Read the evidence limits before acting on this record.

WordPress 7.1.1 directly confirms the stored `wpautop()` XSS and the 7.1.1 fix. Current version documentation lists 7.0.5, 6.9.8, 6.8.9, and 6.7.8 with all 11 fixes. Earlier branches list fewer than all 11 fixes, so verify explicit applicability before treating another train as patched for this CVE.

  • WordPress 7.1.1 is the verified patched release for the 7.1 train.
  • WordPress lists 7.0.5, 6.9.8, 6.8.9, and 6.7.8 as released with fixes for all 11 vulnerabilities from 7.1.1.
  • Do not infer this CVE is fixed on earlier branches merely because they have a contemporaneous security release; the WordPress version page lists fewer than all 11 fixes for those trains.
  • WAF rules are not a substitute for installing the applicable core security release.
  • This campaign tracks the core XSS issue, not unrelated plugin XSS in the same news cycle.

Guard coverage and policy

What Guard's reviewed assertions do and do not claim for this campaign, and the reviewed starting points for defense.

No Guard coverage mapping or campaign-specific policy guidance is published for this record.

Safe next step. Campaign guidance is defensive context. It does not auto-apply policy or claim universal campaign coverage.

Open policy controlsCampaign-specific emergency policy starting point

Timeline

Reviewed events, oldest first, each tied to a verified source.

  1. Disclosure

    CVE-2026-93485 disclosed for WordPress core stored XSS in `wpautop()` from unauthenticated input, subject to comment approval.

    Sources:WordPress 7.1.1 maintenance and security release·Patchstack WordPress core XSS advisory

  2. Vendor action

    WordPress 7.1.1 shipped the XSS fix for the 7.1 train.

    Source:WordPress 7.1.1 maintenance and security release

  3. Vendor action

    WordPress version documentation lists 7.0.5, 6.9.8, 6.8.9, and 6.7.8 as released with all 11 security fixes from 7.1.1.

    Source:WordPress 7.1.1 version documentation

  4. Update

    HOL Guard published operator coverage for CVE-2026-93485.

    Source:HOL Guard operator write-up

  5. Correction

    Source wording corrected: WordPress identifies stored `wpautop()` XSS and says older eligible branch backports are still in progress rather than already shipped.

    Sources:WordPress 7.1.1 maintenance and security release·Patchstack WordPress core XSS advisory

  6. Correction

    Backport status updated from current WordPress version documentation: 7.0.5, 6.9.8, 6.8.9, and 6.7.8 are released with all 11 security fixes from 7.1.1.

    Source:WordPress 7.1.1 version documentation

Publication clock: 91.5 hours from reviewed disclosure timestamp to HOL publication; 24-hour high target; historical backfill outside target.

Reviewed artifacts

The specific artifacts this record concerns, as reviewed. Names and versions are shown as text; a registry link is not recorded here.

  • WordPress@<7.1.1 (7.1 train)wordpresspackage

Sources

Every claim on this record is traceable to the sources below.

Campaign questions, answered

WordPress 1 fixes a stored XSS issue in `wpautop()` that can accept unauthenticated input subject to comment approval. HOL Guard tracked the campaign from Sep 18, 2026 to Sep 21, 2026.

No. Active tracking ended Sep 21, 2026; this page remains as a labeled historical research record and does not imply the threat is currently active.

The record cites 4 primary sources, names 1 reviewed artifact, and was last fully reviewed Sep 21, 2026 by HOL Guard Security Publishing. Its uncertainty and limitations are stated on the record itself.

Campaign guidance is defensive context. It does not auto-apply policy or claim universal campaign coverage.

The permalink above is permanent. The full record can be downloaded from this page as JSON, an artifact CSV, and a STIX 2.1 bundle, and corrections can be requested through the published correction path on the record. WordPress 7.1.1 directly confirms the stored `wpautop()` XSS and the 7.1.1 fix. Current version documentation lists 7.0.5, 6.9.8, 6.8.9, and 6.7.8 with all 11 fixes.

Reviewed in full by HOL Guard Security Publishing.

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Record HGTC-2026-F8D54E43