CVE-2025-0613 in Photo Gallery Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/31/2025
The Photo Gallery by 10Web WordPress plugin before 1.8.34 does not sanitised and escaped comment added on images by unauthenticated users, leading to an Unauthenticated Stored-XSS attack when comments are displayed
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-0613 affects the Photo Gallery by 10Web WordPress plugin version 1.8.33 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that enables unauthenticated stored cross-site scripting attacks. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's comment handling functionality for image assets. The flaw exists in the plugin's architecture where user comments submitted to images are not properly sanitized before being stored in the database and subsequently rendered on web pages without appropriate HTML escaping. This creates a persistent security risk where malicious actors can inject malicious scripts into image comments that will execute in the browsers of other users who view these comments.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of comment fields that are intended for user-generated content on image galleries. When unauthenticated users submit comments to images within the gallery, the plugin fails to apply proper sanitization filters to strip or escape potentially dangerous HTML and JavaScript content. The stored comments are then retrieved from the database and displayed on the webpage without adequate output encoding, allowing malicious scripts to execute within the context of the victim's browser session. This represents a classic stored cross-site scripting vulnerability where the malicious payload is permanently stored on the server and executed whenever affected pages are loaded.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, redirection to malicious sites, and data exfiltration from authenticated users. The vulnerability affects any WordPress site utilizing the Photo Gallery by 10Web plugin version 1.8.33 or earlier, potentially compromising user sessions and sensitive data. Attackers can craft malicious comment payloads that exploit the stored XSS to steal cookies, modify page content, or redirect users to phishing sites. This vulnerability particularly impacts sites where users can submit comments to images, as the attack vector requires no authentication and can be executed by any visitor to the site.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in software applications. The issue also maps to attack patterns within the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1059.008 technique for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell" and T1566.001 for "Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment" as attackers may use this vulnerability to deliver malicious payloads through image comments. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input sanitization and output escaping in web applications, particularly in plugins that handle user-generated content. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including upgrading to the patched version 1.8.34 or later, implementing web application firewalls, and monitoring for suspicious comment submissions.
The remediation approach requires administrators to update the Photo Gallery by 10Web plugin to version 1.8.34 or higher, which includes proper sanitization and escaping mechanisms for user comments. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive input validation at multiple layers including server-side filtering, output encoding for all user-generated content, and regular security audits of third-party plugins. The vulnerability underscores the necessity of robust security practices in WordPress plugin development, particularly regarding the handling of user input and the implementation of proper security controls to prevent stored XSS attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing content security policies and regular security monitoring to detect and prevent exploitation attempts.