How the CVE Works:
CVE-2025-1450 is a critical vulnerability in the Chaty plugin for WordPress, affecting versions up to and including 3.3.5. The flaw arises due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping in the ‘data-hover’ parameter. Authenticated attackers with Contributor-level access or higher can inject arbitrary web scripts into pages. These scripts execute whenever a user accesses the compromised page, leading to potential data theft, session hijacking, or unauthorized actions on behalf of the user. The vulnerability is classified as Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), which is particularly dangerous as the malicious payload is permanently stored on the server and impacts all users who view the infected page.
DailyCVE Form:
Platform: WordPress
Version: <= 3.3.5
Vulnerability: Stored XSS
Severity: Critical
Date: 02/27/2025
What Undercode Say:
Exploitation:
- Payload Injection: Attackers inject malicious scripts via the ‘data-hover’ parameter.
Example:
<script>alert('XSS')</script>
2. Persistence: The payload is stored in the database and executed on page load.
3. Impact: Steal cookies, redirect users, or perform actions on their behalf.
Protection:
- Update Plugin: Upgrade to Chaty plugin version 3.3.6 or later.
- Input Sanitization: Implement proper sanitization for user inputs.
Example in PHP:
$data_hover = sanitize_text_field($_POST[bash]);
3. Output Escaping: Use escaping functions before rendering data.
Example in WordPress:
echo esc_html($data_hover);
4. Role Restriction: Limit Contributor-level access to sensitive features.
Detection:
1. Scan for Vulnerabilities: Use tools like WPScan.
Command:
wpscan --url example.com --enumerate vp
2. Log Monitoring: Check server logs for suspicious activity.
Command:
grep "POST /wp-admin" /var/log/apache2/access.log
Mitigation:
- Web Application Firewall (WAF): Deploy a WAF to block XSS payloads.
- Content Security Policy (CSP): Implement CSP headers to restrict script execution.
Example:
Content-Security-Policy: default-src 'self'; script-src 'self';
3. Database Cleanup: Remove malicious entries from the database.
SQL Query:
DELETE FROM wp_options WHERE option_value LIKE '%<script>%';
Additional Commands:
1. Backup Database:
mysqldump -u username -p database_name > backup.sql
2. Check Plugin Integrity:
wp plugin verify-checksums --all
By following these steps, administrators can effectively exploit, detect, and protect against CVE-2025-1450.
References:
Reported By: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-1450
Extra Source Hub:
Undercode
