# CVE-2026-86798: HootBoard <= 3.1.4 - Unauthenticated Stored XSS via Board Configuration REST Endpoint

> Unauthenticated attackers can inject malicious scripts via REST endpoints, leading to script execution in victim browsers, including administrators.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 11 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 11 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8jxp-9jrv-6qv4

## What is CVE-2026-86798?

CVE-2026-86798 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Unknown HootBoard, published on 11 Oct 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The HootBoard  WordPress plugin through 3.1.4 does not perform any authorisation check on some of its REST endpoints, and does not escape the values stored through them before outputting them in a public page, allowing unauthenticated users to inject arbitrary web scripts that will execute in the browser of anyone visiting that page, including administrators.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-86798?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-86798?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-86798 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-86798 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-86798 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-86798 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-86798 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Unknown HootBoard, published on 11 Oct 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-86798 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Unknown HootBoard. 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-2026-86798/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-86798/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-86798
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-86798
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-86798

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-86798/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.