CVE-2025-10125 in Memberlite Shortcodes Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/17/2025
The Memberlite Shortcodes plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the plugins's 'row' shortcode in all versions up to, and including, 1.4 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user supplied attributes. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with contributor-level access and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/18/2025
The Memberlite Shortcodes plugin for WordPress presents a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-10125, affecting all versions up to and including 1.4. This vulnerability resides within the plugin's 'row' shortcode implementation and represents a significant security flaw that undermines the integrity of WordPress installations. The flaw stems from inadequate input sanitization and insufficient output escaping mechanisms that fail to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied attributes before processing them within the shortcode functionality.
The technical nature of this vulnerability allows authenticated attackers who possess contributor-level access or higher to exploit the weakness by injecting malicious scripts through the plugin's shortcode attributes. When a victim accesses a page containing the injected malicious code, the script executes within their browser context, potentially leading to unauthorized actions performed on their behalf. This stored XSS vulnerability operates by persisting the malicious payload within the plugin's shortcode processing system, making it particularly dangerous as the injected scripts remain active until manually removed or the plugin is updated.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including but not limited to session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious sites. The privilege escalation aspect of this vulnerability means that attackers with contributor-level access can leverage this weakness to compromise the entire WordPress installation, potentially leading to full administrative control. The vulnerability affects all users who have access to the plugin's shortcode functionality, making it particularly concerning for multi-user WordPress environments where contributors and authors may have elevated privileges.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1566 related to spearphishing attacks that exploit software vulnerabilities. The attack vector exploits the trust relationship between legitimate users and the WordPress platform, making detection more challenging as malicious activities appear to originate from legitimate plugin functionality. Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including plugin updates, input validation enforcement, and user access restriction policies to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability.
The remediation approach for CVE-2025-10125 requires immediate plugin version updates to the latest secure release, which should include proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms. Additionally, administrators should review and restrict user permissions to minimize the attack surface, implement content security policies, and conduct regular security audits of installed plugins. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation and output escaping practices in web application development, particularly for plugins that handle user-supplied data within shortcode functionalities. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious shortcode usage patterns and unauthorized modifications to plugin components that could indicate exploitation attempts.