Overview
CVE-2025-12712 details a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability found in the Shouty plugin for WordPress. This vulnerability affects all versions of the plugin up to and including 0.2.1. It allows authenticated attackers with Contributor-level access or higher to inject malicious JavaScript code into WordPress pages. This code executes whenever a user views the affected page, potentially leading to account compromise, data theft, or website defacement.
Technical Details
The vulnerability stems from insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user-supplied attributes within the shouty shortcode. Specifically, when the plugin processes the shouty shortcode, it fails to properly sanitize and escape attributes provided by the user. This allows an attacker to inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript code into the generated output. The vulnerable code is located in the shouty.php file, around lines 138 and 139, where attribute values are processed without adequate security measures.
For example, a malicious contributor could insert the following shortcode into a post:
[shouty text="<script>alert('XSS Vulnerability!');</script>"]When the page containing this shortcode is rendered, the injected JavaScript will execute in the user’s browser.
CVSS Analysis
- Severity: MEDIUM
- CVSS Score: 6.4
A CVSS score of 6.4 indicates a medium severity vulnerability. While it requires authentication (Contributor level or higher), the potential impact on users viewing the affected page is significant. The CVSS vector would likely include metrics indicating the need for user interaction and the potential for gaining further access.
Possible Impact
Successful exploitation of this vulnerability can have serious consequences:
- Account Compromise: An attacker could potentially steal session cookies and compromise administrator or other user accounts.
- Data Theft: Sensitive data displayed on the affected page could be exfiltrated.
- Website Defacement: The attacker could modify the content of the page to display malicious or misleading information.
- Malware Distribution: The injected script could redirect users to malicious websites or attempt to install malware.
Mitigation or Patch Steps
The primary mitigation is to update the Shouty plugin to a version greater than 0.2.1. If an update is not available, consider temporarily disabling the plugin until a patched version is released. Ensure that the updated version includes proper input sanitization and output escaping to prevent XSS attacks.
As a general security practice, limit the number of users with Contributor-level access or higher to only those who absolutely require it, and regularly review user roles and permissions.
References
Shouty Plugin Code (Line 138)
Shouty Plugin Code (Line 139)
Wordfence Threat Intelligence Report
