# CVE-2023-2735: Groundhogg <= 2.7.9.8 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Shortcode

> Authenticated attackers can inject arbitrary web scripts via the gh_form shortcode in legacy contact forms, executing code when users view the page.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 20 May 2023
- **Updated:** 8 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mmxw-6pg3-mfj3

## What is CVE-2023-2735?

CVE-2023-2735 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in trainingbusinesspros Groundhogg — CRM, Newsletters, and Marketing Automation, published on 20 May 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Groundhogg plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the 'gh_form' shortcode in versions up to, and including, 2.7.9.8 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user supplied attributes. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with contributor-level and above permissions to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page. Please note this only works with legacy contact forms.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-2735?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Groundhogg Groundhogg.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-2735?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-2735 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-2735 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-2735 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in trainingbusinesspros Groundhogg — CRM, Newsletters, and Marketing Automation

- [CVE-2019-15647](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-15647/): The groundhogg plugin before 1.3.5 for WordPress has wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?action=bulk_action_listener remote code execution. (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-34179](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-34179/): WordPress Groundhogg Plugin <= 2.7.11 is vulnerable to SQL Injection (high 7.6)
- [CVE-2023-2736](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2736/): Groundhogg <= 2.7.9.8 - Cross-Site Request Forgery to Privilege Escalation (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2023-1425](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-1425/): Groundhogg Contacts < 2.7.9.4 - Admin+ SQLi (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2024-37264](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-37264/): WordPress Groundhogg plugin <= 3.4.2.3 - Reflected Cross Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability (high 7.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-2735 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-2735 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in trainingbusinesspros Groundhogg — CRM, Newsletters, and Marketing Automation, published on 20 May 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-2735 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: trainingbusinesspros Groundhogg — CRM, Newsletters, and Marketing Automation. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2735/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2735/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-2735
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-2735
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-2735

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2735/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.