# CVE-2026-97279: Polylang stored cross-site scripting in contributor roles

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-97279-contributor-cross-site-scripting-xss-in-polylang-3-8-9-versions  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-09-30. Updated: 2026-09-30  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-97279 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6.5 · Published 2026-09-30

Polylang is a WordPress plugin that enables multilingual website management. A cross-site scripting vulnerability in versions up to 3.8.9 allows contributors with plugin access to inject malicious scripts that can steal visitor data or hijack user accounts. The vulnerability requires an attacker to have contributor privileges and user interaction to exploit.

Technologies: [WP SYNTEX Polylang](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/polylang). Vendors: [WP SYNTEX](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/wp-syntex).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-97279 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-97279 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-97279?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.5, published 30 September 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** WP SYNTEX Polylang up to 3.8.9.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-97279?** A patch was published on 2026-09-30: Fixed in version 3.8.10 Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-97279 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-97279?** Check whether you run WP SYNTEX Polylang 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.

## Technical details

A stored cross-site scripting (XSS) flaw exists in Polylang up to version 3.8.9, exploitable by users with contributor role privileges. The vulnerability requires user interaction such as clicking a malicious link or visiting a crafted page. Successful exploitation allows injection of arbitrary JavaScript into the site, potentially leading to visitor data theft or session hijacking. The issue is patched in version 3.8.10.

## Affected products

- WP SYNTEX Polylang up to 3.8.9

## Timeline

- 2026-09-22: disclosed: Reported by Intrudify
- 2026-09-30: advisory: Published by Patchstack
- 2026-09-30: patched: Fixed in version 3.8.10

## References

- [https://wordpress.org/plugins](https://wordpress.org/plugins)
- [https://patchstack.com/database/wordpress/plugin/polylang/vulnerability/wordpress-polylang-plugin-3-8-9-cross-site-scripting-xss-vulnerability?_s_id=cve](https://patchstack.com/database/wordpress/plugin/polylang/vulnerability/wordpress-polylang-plugin-3-8-9-cross-site-scripting-xss-vulnerability?_s_id=cve)

## Related threats

- [WP SYNTEX Polylang broken access control in pages](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-122670-missing-authorization-vulnerability-in-wp-syntex-polylang)
- [WP SYNTEX Polylang object injection in deserialization](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-97278-deserialization-of-untrusted-data-vulnerability-in-wp-syntex)
- [WP SYNTEX Polylang missing authorization in data retrieval](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-39783-missing-authorization-vulnerability-in-wp-syntex-polylang)
- [Chouby Polylang sensitive data exposure](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-65458-chouby-polylang-sensitive-data-exposure)