# CVE-2023-40206: WordPress WP 404 Auto Redirect to Similar Post Plugin <= 1.0.3 is vulnerable to Cross Site Scripting (XSS)

> Administrators can inject malicious scripts via the WP 404 Auto Redirect to Similar Post plugin, potentially compromising user sessions.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 4 Sep 2023
- **Updated:** 28 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** CVE-2023-6079, GHSA-r4vm-5p2q-cpjc

## What is CVE-2023-40206?

CVE-2023-40206 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in hwk-fr WP 404 Auto Redirect to Similar Post, published on 4 Sep 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Auth. (admin+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in hwk-fr WP 404 Auto Redirect to Similar Post plugin <= 1.0.3 versions.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-40206?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Hwk Wp 404 Auto Redirect to Similar Post.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-40206?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-40206 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-40206 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-40206 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in hwk-fr WP 404 Auto Redirect to Similar Post

- [CVE-2024-0509](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-0509/): WP 404 Auto Redirect to Similar Post <= 1.0.3 - Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via request (medium 6.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-40206 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-40206 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in hwk-fr WP 404 Auto Redirect to Similar Post, published on 4 Sep 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-40206 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: hwk-fr WP 404 Auto Redirect to Similar Post. 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-2023-40206/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-40206/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-40206
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-40206
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-40206

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-40206/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.