IRONSMITHINTEL
MEDIUMCVSS6.1
|
Actively Exploited
|CISA KEV|CVE-2019-9978|Auth: none — unauthenticated|Reboot: required|Manual only

WordPress Social Warfare Plugin Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) Vulnerability

WordPress Social Warfare plugin contains a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability that allows for remote code execution. This vulnerability affects Social Warfare and Social Warfare Pro.

Published Mar 24, 2019 · Updated May 16, 2026
Why patchRisk explained in plain English
Worst-case scenarioIf unpatched

A remote attacker, without authentication, can achieve partial data exposure, partial data tampering. Federal agencies are required to remediate by 2022-05-03 under CISA BOD 22-01.

How the attack worksNo clicks needed

This is a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) (CWE-79) vulnerability in WordPress Social Warfare Plugin. The social-warfare plugin before 3.5.3 for WordPress has stored XSS via the wp-admin/admin-post.php?swp_debug=load_options swp_url parameter, as exploited in the wild in March 2019. This affects Social Warfare and Social Warfare Pro. Exploitation requires remote network access, low attack complexity, no authentication required, and user interaction required.

📧

Phishing link

🖼

Malicious file

🔓

Server compromised

Am I affected?Quick check

Probably yes if any of these apply:

IT Security
Running social warfare: v < 3.5.3; social warfare pro: v < 3.5.3
Real-world incidentsWhat we've seen

Active exploitation documented in the wild. Threat-research write-up: http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/152722/Wordpress-Social-Warfare-Remote-Code-Execution.html

How to patch

Manual remediation steps

Apply the Vendor Patch

This vulnerability is in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog — apply the vendor's security update as soon as possible.

CISA required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.

References

    1
    NVD entry: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-9978
    1
    CISA KEV: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2019-9978
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