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CVE Record

CVE-2023-6594: WordPress Button Plugin MaxButtons <= 9.7.4 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting

The WordPress Button Plugin MaxButtons plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via admin settings in all versions up to, and including, 9.7.4 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with administrator-level permissions and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page. This only affects multi-site installations and installations where unfiltered_html has been disabled. Administrators can give button creation privileges to users with lower levels (contributor+) which would allow those lower-privileged users to carry out attacks.

MediumCVSS 4.4Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2023-6594 is a stored cross-site scripting issue in the WordPress MaxButtons plugin through version 9.7.4. It mainly matters where trusted administration boundaries are weaker, such as multisite or sites with unfiltered_html disabled. A user allowed to create buttons could store script content that later runs for page visitors.

Executive priority

Treat this as a targeted WordPress hygiene issue, not an emergency internet-wide exposure. Prioritize sites where many administrators exist, multisite is enabled, or content privileges are delegated to lower roles.

Technical view

The plugin insufficiently sanitizes admin settings and escapes output, enabling stored XSS. The CVE describes administrator-level attackers, with possible lower-role impact when administrators grant button creation privileges to contributor-level users or above. The CVSS 3.1 score is 4.4, with high privileges and high attack complexity.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to WordPress installations using MaxButtons through 9.7.4, especially multisite deployments or installations where unfiltered_html is disabled. Risk increases if non-admin users have been granted button creation privileges.

Exploitation context

The provided sources do not show known active exploitation, and the CVE is not listed as KEV. The issue requires authenticated access and relevant privileges, reducing broad internet-scale risk but preserving insider, compromised-account, and delegated-role risk.

Researcher notes

Key evidence comes from the CVE description, Wordfence advisory, and WordPress Trac changeset reference. The bundle indicates versions through 9.7.4 are vulnerable, but does not provide exploit-in-the-wild evidence. Avoid broad claims beyond MaxButtons and the stated WordPress configurations.

Mitigation direction

  • Identify MaxButtons installations and confirm whether versions are 9.7.4 or earlier.
  • Update MaxButtons to a vendor-supported release newer than 9.7.4 where available.
  • Review vendor and WordPress plugin guidance before assuming a specific fixed version.
  • Restrict button creation privileges to trusted administrators until remediated.
  • Review multisite and unfiltered_html policy where this plugin is installed.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory WordPress sites for the MaxButtons plugin and installed version.
  • Check whether each site is multisite or has unfiltered_html disabled.
  • Review MaxButtons permissions for contributor-level or other delegated users.
  • Inspect existing button content and settings for unexpected script-like content.
  • Confirm remediation against the CVE and referenced plugin changeset.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
4

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

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 · medium confidence lookup

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.

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cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2023-6594 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
4.4 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

Official CVE source material

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.

1CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
3Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We 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.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
4.4CVSS 3.1MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N1.32.7Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

4.4Medium
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2023-6594Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
maxfoundryMaxButtons – Create buttons0unaffected
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-79

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.