Overview
This article details CVE-2025-12457, a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the “Enable SVG, WebP, and ICO Upload” plugin for WordPress. This vulnerability allows authenticated attackers with Author-level access or higher to inject malicious JavaScript code into SVG files. When a user views these infected SVG files, the injected script will execute, potentially leading to account compromise, data theft, or other malicious activities.
Technical Details
The vulnerability exists because the plugin fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input during SVG file uploads and doesn’t adequately escape output when rendering these files. Specifically, versions of the plugin up to and including 1.1.2 are affected. The unsanitized SVG file is stored on the server, resulting in a persistent XSS vulnerability. An attacker can craft a malicious SVG file containing JavaScript code and upload it through the WordPress media library. When a user then accesses this uploaded SVG file (either directly or embedded within a page), the malicious script will execute in the user’s browser.
The vulnerable code can be found within the class-svg.php file, specifically, the sanitization of user-supplied data during the upload and rendering of SVG files is insufficient.
CVSS Analysis
The vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS score of 6.4 (Medium).
- Attack Vector: Network (AV:N)
- Attack Complexity: Low (AC:L)
- Privileges Required: Low (PR:L)
- User Interaction: Required (UI:R)
- Scope: Changed (S:C)
- Confidentiality Impact: Low (C:L)
- Integrity Impact: Low (I:L)
- Availability Impact: None (A:N)
This score indicates that while the vulnerability requires some level of user interaction (clicking on or viewing the SVG file), it’s relatively easy to exploit, and successful exploitation can lead to the attacker executing code in the context of another user’s browser session, potentially gaining access to sensitive information or performing actions on their behalf.
Possible Impact
Successful exploitation of this Stored XSS vulnerability could have several serious consequences:
- Account Takeover: An attacker could steal a logged-in user’s session cookies, allowing them to impersonate the user and gain access to their account.
- Data Theft: Sensitive information displayed within the affected user’s browser session could be stolen.
- Website Defacement: The attacker could inject malicious code that modifies the appearance of the website.
- Malware Distribution: The attacker could use the compromised website to distribute malware to unsuspecting visitors.
- Phishing Attacks: The attacker could redirect users to phishing pages designed to steal their credentials.
Mitigation or Patch Steps
The best course of action is to take one of the following steps:
- Update the Plugin: Check for and install the latest version of the “Enable SVG, WebP, and ICO Upload” plugin. The vendor should release a patched version that addresses this vulnerability. If a patch is available, upgrading is the recommended solution.
- Disable the Plugin: If an update is not immediately available, temporarily disable the plugin to prevent potential exploitation.
- Implement Custom Sanitization (Advanced): If you are comfortable with code, you could attempt to implement your own sanitization of SVG files. However, this is generally not recommended unless you have a strong understanding of XSS prevention techniques. Ensure you are properly sanitizing both input (SVG file content) and output (how the SVG is rendered).
- Restrict User Roles: Limit Author-level access or higher to only trusted users.
References
- CVE ID: CVE-2025-12457
- Plugin Source Code (Vulnerable Version): plugins.trac.wordpress.org
- Wordfence Threat Intelligence: wordfence.com
