Overview
CVE-2025-11801 is a security vulnerability affecting the AudioTube WordPress plugin, specifically versions up to and including 0.0.3. This vulnerability allows authenticated attackers with contributor-level access or higher to inject malicious JavaScript code into WordPress pages via the ‘caption’ attribute of the ‘audiotube’ shortcode. This is a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability.
Technical Details
The vulnerability exists due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping of the ‘caption’ attribute within the audiotube shortcode. This means that when a user with appropriate permissions (Contributor or higher) adds the audiotube shortcode to a post or page and includes malicious JavaScript within the `caption` attribute, that script will be saved to the database and executed whenever another user visits the affected page.
Example of a vulnerable shortcode:
[audiotube caption="<script>alert('XSS Vulnerability!');</script>"]The code responsible for handling the shortcode (as seen in audiotube/tags/0.0.3/index.php#L64) does not adequately sanitize or escape the ‘caption’ attribute before rendering it in the output, leading to the XSS vulnerability.
CVSS Analysis
- CVE ID: CVE-2025-11801
- Severity: MEDIUM
- CVSS Score: 6.4
- CVSS Vector: (Details of the vector are not provided in the initial problem and should be filled if available. Example: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N)
This MEDIUM severity rating reflects the fact that the vulnerability requires authentication (contributor access) but allows for the execution of arbitrary code within a user’s browser.
Possible Impact
A successful Stored XSS attack can have significant consequences:
- Account Takeover: An attacker can potentially steal administrator cookies and take over the entire WordPress site.
- Malware Distribution: The attacker can inject scripts that redirect users to malicious websites or download malware onto their computers.
- Data Theft: Sensitive information, such as user credentials or personal data, could be stolen through keylogging or other malicious techniques.
- Defacement: The attacker can modify the content of the website, defacing it or spreading misinformation.
Mitigation or Patch Steps
The best course of action is to take one of the following steps:
- Upgrade the Plugin: Check for a newer version of the AudioTube plugin. If a patched version (greater than 0.0.3) is available, immediately upgrade to it. Important: If no update is available and you are using the plugin, the best mitigation is to deactive and uninstall the plugin from your wordpress instance.
- Remove the Plugin: If no update is available or the plugin is no longer needed, remove it from your WordPress installation to eliminate the vulnerability. This is the safest approach if a patch isn’t readily available.
- Manual Code Review (Advanced): If you are a developer, you can manually review the plugin’s code and implement proper input sanitization and output escaping for the ‘caption’ attribute of the ‘audiotube’ shortcode. However, this requires a thorough understanding of XSS vulnerabilities and secure coding practices.
