WordPress, Stored Cross-Site Scripting, CVE-2025-0469 (Critical)

How the CVE Works:

CVE-2025-0469 is a critical vulnerability in the Forminator Forms plugin for WordPress, affecting versions up to and including 1.39.2. The issue arises due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping in the slider template data. Authenticated attackers with Contributor-level access or higher can inject arbitrary web scripts into pages. These scripts are stored in the database and executed whenever a user accesses the compromised page. This stored XSS vulnerability allows attackers to steal sensitive information, hijack sessions, or deface websites, posing a significant risk to website integrity and user security.

DailyCVE Form:

Platform: WordPress
Version: <= 1.39.2
Vulnerability: Stored XSS
Severity: Critical
Date: 02/27/2025

What Undercode Say:

Exploitation:

1. Exploit Code Example (PoC):

<script>alert('XSS');</script>

Attackers can inject this payload into the slider template data field.

2. Steps to Exploit:

  • Gain Contributor-level access.
  • Navigate to the Forminator plugin slider template.
  • Inject malicious script into the data field.
  • Save and wait for users to access the compromised page.

3. Automated Exploit:

import requests
target_url = "http://example.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php"
payload = "<script>alert('XSS');</script>"
data = {
"action": "forminator_save_slider",
"slider_data": payload
}
response = requests.post(target_url, data=data)
print(response.text)

Protection:

1. Update Plugin:

  • Upgrade to Forminator Forms version 1.39.3 or later.

2. Input Sanitization:

  • Implement proper input sanitization and output escaping in the plugin code.

3. Web Application Firewall (WAF):

  • Deploy a WAF to block XSS payloads.

4. User Role Management:

  • Restrict Contributor-level access to trusted users only.

5. Security Plugins:

  • Use security plugins like Wordfence or Sucuri to detect and block XSS attempts.

6. Content Security Policy (CSP):

  • Add a CSP header to mitigate XSS risks:
    Content-Security-Policy: default-src 'self'; script-src 'self';
    

7. Regular Audits:

  • Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing.

8. Database Monitoring:

  • Monitor database entries for suspicious script injections.

9. Patch Management:

  • Stay informed about plugin updates and vulnerabilities.

10. Backup Strategy:

  • Maintain regular backups to restore compromised sites quickly.

Detection:

1. Log Analysis:

  • Monitor server logs for unusual POST requests to admin-ajax.php.

2. Scanning Tools:

  • Use tools like OWASP ZAP or Burp Suite to scan for XSS vulnerabilities.

3. Manual Testing:

  • Test input fields with XSS payloads to identify vulnerabilities.

Mitigation:

1. Remove Malicious Code:

  • Identify and remove injected scripts from the database.

2. Disable Plugin:

  • Temporarily disable the Forminator plugin until patched.

3. User Notification:

  • Inform users about potential risks and advise them to change passwords.

4. Incident Response:

  • Follow a structured incident response plan to address the breach.

5. Post-Incident Review:

  • Analyze the attack vector and improve security measures.

References:

References:

Reported By: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-0469
Extra Source Hub:
Undercode

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