Description
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in wp-includes/wp-db.php in WordPress before 4.2.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a long comment that is improperly stored because of limitations on the MySQL TEXT data type.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | wordpress | 4.2.1+dfsg-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | wordpress | 4.2.1+dfsg-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | wordpress | 4.2.1+dfsg-1 | — |
| Debian 8 | wordpress | 4.1+dfsg-1+deb8u1 | DSA-3250-1 |
| Debian 7 | wordpress | 3.6.1+dfsg-1~deb7u6 | DSA-3250-1 |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 6.0 | wordpress | 3.6.1+dfsg-1~deb6u6 | DLA-236-1 |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Third-party code, not reviewed by us. Public PoCs are sometimes fake or contain malware. Read the code first and run it only in an isolated lab, against systems you are authorised to test.
Exploit-DB 1
- WordPress Core 4.2 - Persistent Cross-Site Scripting EDB-36844 · webapps · Apr 27, 2015 · verified
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 2
- DLA-236-1 wordpress - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- DSA-3250-1 wordpress - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
References
- 36844 exploit
- FEDORA-2015-6778 vendor-advisory
- http://codex.wordpress.org/Version_4.2.1
- https://klikki.fi/adv/wordpress2.html
- https://wpvulndb.com/vulnerabilities/7945
- https://wordpress.org/news/2015/04/wordpress-4-2-1/
- FEDORA-2015-6790 vendor-advisory
- 74334 vdb-entry
- 20150426 WordPress 4.2 stored XSS mailing-list
- https://core.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/32299
- 121320 vdb-entry
- 1032199 vdb-entry
- DSA-3250 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2015-6808 vendor-advisory
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/131644/WordPress-4.2-Cross-Site-Scripting.html