Overview
This article details a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability, identified as CVE-2025-11868, affecting the Everviz plugin for WordPress. Exploitation of this vulnerability can allow attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code into WordPress pages, potentially compromising user accounts and website integrity.
Technical Details
CVE-2025-11868 resides in the way the Everviz plugin handles user-supplied input within the everviz shortcode. Specifically, the plugin fails to properly sanitize or escape the type and hash attributes when constructing a <div id=...> element. This lack of input validation allows an attacker to inject arbitrary HTML attributes and JavaScript code directly into the page’s HTML source.
The vulnerable code is located within the highcharts-editor.php file. An attacker with Contributor-level access (or higher) can craft a malicious everviz shortcode and embed it within a post or page. When a user visits that page, the injected JavaScript code will execute within their browser session.
CVSS Analysis
- CVE ID: CVE-2025-11868
- Severity: MEDIUM
- CVSS Score: 6.4
A CVSS score of 6.4 indicates a medium severity. The vulnerability requires authentication (Contributor role or higher), and the impact is primarily related to data confidentiality and integrity within the context of the affected website.
Possible Impact
Successful exploitation of this XSS vulnerability can lead to several detrimental outcomes:
- Account Takeover: An attacker could potentially steal user session cookies, leading to account compromise.
- Malware Distribution: The injected JavaScript could redirect users to malicious websites or trigger the download of malware.
- Defacement: An attacker could modify the content and appearance of the affected pages.
- Data Theft: Sensitive information displayed on the page could be stolen.
Mitigation or Patch Steps
The recommended course of action is to update the Everviz plugin to the latest available version. Contact the plugin developer for the version greater than 1.1 where this issue is resolved. If an update is not immediately available, consider temporarily disabling the Everviz plugin until a patched version is released. A web application firewall (WAF) configured with rules to block XSS attacks can also provide a layer of protection.
