CVE-2026-3618 is a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability in the Columns by BestWebSoft WordPress plugin, affecting all versions up to 1.0.3. The issue arises from improper neutralization of input in the 'id' shortcode attribute of the [print_clmns] shortcode. The plugin uses shortcode_atts() to receive the 'id' parameter but fails to sanitize or escape it before embedding it directly into a div's id attribute and inline CSS. Although the SQL query casts the 'id' to an integer for database lookup, the unsanitized string is still output in HTML and CSS, enabling script injection. Exploitation requires Contributor-level or higher privileges and the presence of at least one column created by an admin. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.4 (medium severity), reflecting network attack vector, low attack complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, and partial impact on confidentiality and integrity.

Successful exploitation allows authenticated users with Contributor-level access or higher to inject and store malicious scripts within pages generated by the plugin. These scripts execute in the context of users viewing the affected pages, potentially leading to session hijacking, defacement, or other client-side attacks. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality and integrity but does not affect availability. There are no known exploits in the wild at this time.

Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is available, restrict Contributor-level access to trusted users only and consider disabling or removing the Columns by BestWebSoft plugin if possible. Monitor for plugin updates that address this vulnerability.