# CVE-2023-36503: WordPress MaxButtons Plugin <= 9.5.3 is vulnerable to Cross Site Scripting (XSS)

> Authenticated contributors can inject malicious scripts via the MaxButtons plugin, potentially leading to session hijacking or site compromise.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 25 Jul 2023
- **Updated:** 28 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jg8g-464m-3rpg

## What is CVE-2023-36503?

CVE-2023-36503 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in WordPress Button Plugin MaxButtons, published on 25 Jul 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Auth. (contributor+) Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Max Foundry WordPress Button Plugin MaxButtons plugin <= 9.5.3 versions.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-36503?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Maxfoundry Maxbuttons.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-36503?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-36503 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-36503 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-36503 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in WordPress Button Plugin MaxButtons

- [CVE-2023-7029](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-7029/): WordPress Button Plugin MaxButtons <= 9.7.6 - Authenticated(Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via shortcode (medium 6.4)
- [CVE-2024-3026](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-3026/): WordPress Button Plugin MaxButtons < 9.7.8 - Editor+ Stored XSS (medium 5.4)
- [CVE-2024-6499](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-6499/): WordPress Button Plugin MaxButtons <= 9.7.8 - Full Path Disclosure (medium 5.3)
- [CVE-2024-10555](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-10555/): MaxButtons < 9.8.1 - Admin+ Stored XSS via Button Width (medium 4.8)
- [CVE-2024-8968](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-8968/): MaxButtons < 9.8.1 - Admin+ Stored XSS via Text Color (medium 4.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-36503 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-36503 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in WordPress Button Plugin MaxButtons, published on 25 Jul 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-36503 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: WordPress Button Plugin MaxButtons. 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-2023-36503/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-36503/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-36503
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-36503
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-36503

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-36503/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.