Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Gallery Factory Lite for WordPress through 2.0.0 can store unsafe script content through shortcode attributes. A logged-in contributor or higher could place content that runs when another user views the affected post or page, potentially exposing session data or changing page behavior.
Executive priority
Treat this as a moderate-priority WordPress hygiene issue. It is not listed as known exploited, but stored XSS can affect administrators and visitors if an internal account is misused or compromised.
Technical view
CVE-2023-0148 is a CWE-79 stored XSS in Gallery Factory Lite shortcode attribute handling. The plugin does not validate and escape some shortcode attributes before rendering them back into embedded page or post output. CVSS 3.1 is 5.4 with low privileges required and user interaction required.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on WordPress sites running Gallery Factory Lite through 2.0.0, especially where contributor, author, editor, or administrator accounts can create or edit posts using the plugin shortcode.
Exploitation context
The source bundle includes a WPScan entry tagged with exploit, but it does not establish active exploitation. CISA KEV status is false. Exploitation requires authenticated contributor-level or higher access and another user viewing the affected rendered content.
Researcher notes
The key evidence is incomplete on vendor identity and fixed-version status. The vulnerability is specifically shortcode attribute validation and escaping failure, not a general WordPress core issue. Avoid assuming unauthenticated exploitation or a specific patch level beyond the cited sources.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory WordPress sites for Gallery Factory Lite installations and versions.
- Check vendor or plugin repository guidance for a corrected release.
- Update if a fixed release is available from trusted vendor guidance.
- Disable or remove the plugin where it is not business-critical.
- Restrict contributor-level publishing and review shortcode usage in existing content.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether Gallery Factory Lite is installed and at or below version 2.0.0.
- Identify posts or pages embedding Gallery Factory Lite shortcodes.
- Review recent contributor-or-higher edits to content using those shortcodes.
- Verify rendered pages do not output unescaped shortcode-controlled values.
- Check whether any vendor advisory names a fixed version or workaround.
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-2023-0148 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
- 5.4 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/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:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N2.32.7Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.4MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/f15f2f2c-2053-4b93-8064-15b5243a4021CVE reference · exploit, vdb-entry
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.