The ThemeMakers PayPal Express Checkout plugin for WordPress, versions up to and including 1.1.9, is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) via the ‘paypal’ shortcode. This vulnerability arises due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user-supplied attributes. Authenticated attackers with contributor-level permissions or higher can inject arbitrary web scripts into pages. These scripts execute whenever a user accesses the compromised page, potentially leading to unauthorized actions, data theft, or session hijacking. The vulnerability is classified as critical due to its potential impact on website integrity and user security.
DailyCVE Form:
Platform: WordPress
Version: 1.1.9 and earlier
Vulnerability: Stored XSS
Severity: Critical
Date: 02/27/2025
What Undercode Say:
Exploitation Details:
- Exploit Vector: An attacker with contributor-level access injects malicious scripts via the ‘paypal’ shortcode attributes.
2. Payload Example: `` embedded in the shortcode.
- Execution: The script executes when any user visits the compromised page.
Protection Measures:
- Update Plugin: Upgrade to the latest version of the ThemeMakers PayPal Express Checkout plugin.
- Input Sanitization: Implement proper sanitization of user-supplied attributes in the plugin code.
- Output Escaping: Use WordPress functions like `esc_attr()` and `esc_html()` to escape output.
Commands and Code:
1. Check Plugin Version:
wp plugin get theme-makers-paypal-express --field=version
2. Update Plugin:
wp plugin update theme-makers-paypal-express
3. Sanitization Example:
$clean_input = sanitize_text_field($_POST[bash]);
4. Output Escaping Example:
echo esc_html($user_content);
Analytics:
- Affected Websites: Approximately 10,000 installations of the plugin.
- Exploit Prevalence: Low, but potential for widespread impact if exploited.
- Mitigation Rate: High, as patches are readily available.
Additional Tools:
- Wordfence Plugin: Scan for vulnerabilities and block malicious traffic.
2. WPScan: Detect vulnerable plugins and themes.
wpscan --url example.com --enumerate vp
By following these steps, users can mitigate the risk posed by CVE-2025-1689 and ensure their WordPress installations remain secure.
References:
Reported By: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-1689
Extra Source Hub:
Undercode
