CVE-2026-3618 is a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability in the Columns by BestWebSoft WordPress plugin (up to version 1.0.3). The issue arises from insufficient input sanitization and output escaping of the 'id' shortcode attribute in the [print_clmns] shortcode. Although the plugin casts the 'id' parameter to an integer for database queries, it still uses the original unsanitized string value directly in HTML div id attributes and inline CSS, enabling script injection. Exploitation requires authenticated access at Contributor level or above and the presence of at least one configured column in the plugin. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.4 (medium severity), reflecting network attack vector, low attack complexity, and limited confidentiality and integrity impact.

An attacker with Contributor-level or higher privileges can inject malicious scripts into pages or widgets using the vulnerable shortcode attribute. 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 does not impact availability and requires some level of authenticated access, limiting its scope. 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 released, restrict Contributor-level access to trusted users only and consider disabling or removing the Columns by BestWebSoft plugin if possible. Monitor for updates from BestWebSoft regarding a security patch addressing this vulnerability.