Overview
This article discusses a security vulnerability, identified as CVE-2025-13682, affecting the Trail Manager plugin for WordPress. This vulnerability is a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) flaw found in versions up to and including 1.0.0. Exploitation requires administrator-level or higher permissions and either a multi-site installation or a configuration where unfiltered_html is disabled.
Technical Details
The Trail Manager plugin fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input in its admin settings. This lack of sanitization, combined with insufficient output escaping, allows an authenticated attacker with administrator privileges to inject arbitrary web scripts into the plugin’s settings. These injected scripts are then stored in the database and executed whenever a user accesses a page where the vulnerable settings are displayed. This can include the WordPress admin dashboard or any front-end page that utilizes the plugin’s data.
The vulnerability resides within the plugin’s administrative interface, specifically in areas that handle configuration settings related to trail management. By manipulating these settings with malicious JavaScript code, an attacker can compromise the security of the WordPress site.
CVSS Analysis
The Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) score for CVE-2025-13682 is 4.4 (Medium).
- CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
- Explanation: This score reflects the network attack vector (AV:N), high attack complexity (AC:H), high privileges required (PR:H), user interaction required (UI:R), unchanged scope (S:U), limited confidentiality impact (C:L), limited integrity impact (I:L), and no availability impact (A:N). The high attack complexity is due to the need for specific configurations (multi-site or unfiltered_html disabled) and administrator-level access. The user interaction component means that an administrator must be tricked into triggering the XSS payload (e.g., by visiting a specific admin page containing the injected script).
Possible Impact
Successful exploitation of this Stored XSS vulnerability could have significant consequences:
- Account Takeover: An attacker could potentially hijack administrator accounts by stealing their session cookies or redirecting them to a phishing page.
- Malware Distribution: The injected scripts could be used to distribute malware to website visitors.
- Website Defacement: An attacker could modify the content of the website, potentially defacing it or displaying misleading information.
- Data Theft: Sensitive data could be stolen from the website’s database or user sessions.
Mitigation & Patch Steps
The recommended mitigation steps are as follows:
- Update the Plugin: Upgrade to a patched version of the Trail Manager plugin if one is available. This is the most effective way to address the vulnerability. Check the WordPress plugin repository for updates.
- Disable the Plugin: If an update is not available, consider temporarily disabling the Trail Manager plugin until a fix is released.
- Web Application Firewall (WAF): Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to detect and block XSS attacks. Configure the WAF to specifically filter out any potentially malicious scripts being injected into the Trail Manager plugin’s settings.
- Limit Administrator Access: Follow the principle of least privilege. Only grant administrator-level access to users who absolutely need it.
- Monitor User Activity: Regularly monitor user activity logs for any suspicious behavior that may indicate an attempted XSS attack.
