Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2021-36893 is a stored cross-site scripting issue in the WordPress Responsive Tabs plugin. A logged-in user with author or higher privileges could store malicious script on sites running version 4.0.5 or earlier. Impact is limited but meaningful because the script may run when another user views affected content.
Executive priority
Treat this as a moderate-priority WordPress hygiene issue. It is not evidenced as actively exploited, but affected public sites with many content authors or weak account controls should remediate promptly because stored XSS can affect administrators and site visitors.
Technical view
The issue is CWE-79 stored XSS in WP Darko Responsive Tabs <= 4.0.5. CVSS 3.1 is 4.8: network reachable, low complexity, high privileges required, user interaction required, changed scope, low confidentiality and integrity impact, and no availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to WordPress sites using Responsive Tabs version 4.0.5 or earlier. The source bundle does not identify other affected products or CPEs. Sites without this plugin, or running versions not confirmed affected, are not evidenced as exposed here.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or cited evidence of active exploitation. Abuse requires an authenticated WordPress account with author or higher privileges and a victim viewing affected content. This is more likely an insider or compromised-account risk than broad unauthenticated scanning.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports authenticated stored XSS only for Responsive Tabs <= 4.0.5. The bundle does not provide payload details, a fixed version, exploitation reports, or affected CPEs. Validation should focus on installed versions, elevated user access, and vendor-confirmed remediation.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory WordPress sites for the Responsive Tabs plugin.
- If version is 4.0.5 or earlier, check vendor guidance before upgrading.
- Upgrade to a vendor-confirmed fixed or current safe release when available.
- Disable or remove the plugin where it is not business-critical.
- Restrict author-or-higher WordPress roles to trusted users only.
Validation and detection
- Confirm plugin presence and version on each WordPress site.
- Identify sites running Responsive Tabs 4.0.5 or earlier.
- Review author, editor, administrator, and other elevated WordPress accounts.
- Check plugin content for unexpected script-like entries without executing them.
- Review vendor and Patchstack pages for remediation details.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-79: User-session and phishing behavior lookup
Client-side and session-facing weaknesses should be reviewed alongside initial-access and user-execution behaviors. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-36893 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 4.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N1.72.7Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
4.8MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://wordpress.org/plugins/responsive-tabs/CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://patchstack.com/database/vulnerability/responsive-tabs/wordpress-responsive-tabs-plugin-4-0-5-cross-site-scripting-xss-vulnerabilityCVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.