# CVE-2026-116537: Link Library WordPress plugin stored XSS in link_description

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-116537-the-link-library-plugin-for-wordpress-is-vulnerable-to-stored  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-11-07. Updated: 2026-11-07  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-116537 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.2 · Published 2026-11-07

The Link Library plugin for WordPress is used to display curated links on websites. An unauthenticated attacker can inject malicious scripts via the link_description field that execute in browsers of anyone viewing the page, potentially stealing credentials or defacing content. This requires the site administrator to enable a non-default setting that converts bracket syntax to HTML.

Vendors: [WordPress.org](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/wordpress-org).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-116537 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-116537 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-116537?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.2, published 7 November 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** WordPress.org Link Library up to and including 7.10.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-116537?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Disable the 'Convert [] to <> in Link Description and Notes' (use_html_tags) setting until an update is available; when this option is disabled, the bracket-to-angle-bracket conversion does not run and payloads cannot be reconstructed into executable HTML. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-116537 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-116537?** Check whether you run WordPress.org Link Library at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix


Disable the 'Convert [] to <> in Link Description and Notes' (use_html_tags) setting until an update is available; when this option is disabled, the bracket-to-angle-bracket conversion does not run and payloads cannot be reconstructed into executable HTML.

## Technical details

Stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the 'link_description' parameter due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. When the 'Convert [] to <> in Link Description and Notes' (use_html_tags) setting is enabled, user input is converted from bracket notation to HTML angle brackets, allowing attackers to inject executable scripts. The vulnerability is network-accessible and requires no authentication, but depends on the non-default configuration option being active.

## Affected products

- WordPress.org Link Library up to and including 7.10.0

## Timeline

- 2026-11-07: disclosed

## References

- [https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/link-library/tags/7.10.0/render-link-library-sc.php](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/link-library/tags/7.10.0/render-link-library-sc.php)
- [https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/link-library/tags/7.10.0/render-link-library-sc.php](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/link-library/tags/7.10.0/render-link-library-sc.php)