CVE-2026-96561 is a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability in the AI Engine – The Chatbot, AI Framework & MCP for WordPress plugin affecting versions up to 3.8.0. The issue stems from insufficient input neutralization and output escaping across multiple components: the /mwai-ui/v1/chats/submit REST endpoint, PHP error-log parser, Advisor task, and Advisor dashboard widget. An unauthenticated attacker can inject a crafted string that bypasses server-parameter denylist checks due to key canonicalization, causing an exception message with attacker-controlled content to be logged unescaped. The plugin's parser then returns this forged log content as recent PHP errors, which is appended verbatim to the AI prompt and stored without sanitization. Finally, the dashboard widget concatenates these values directly into the admin interface without escaping, enabling script injection and execution in the administrator's browser.

An unauthenticated attacker can inject arbitrary web scripts into the WordPress dashboard pages viewed by administrators. This can lead to the execution of malicious scripts in the context of the administrator's browser, potentially allowing theft of credentials, session hijacking, or other administrative actions. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.2 (high), reflecting network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction, and partial confidentiality and integrity impacts with no availability impact.

No official patch or fix is currently documented in the provided data. Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until a fix is available, administrators should consider restricting access to the WordPress dashboard to trusted users only and monitor for suspicious activity. Avoid exposing the vulnerable REST endpoint to untrusted networks if possible.