CVE-2025-14835 in WP Photo Album Plus Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/07/2026
The WP Photo Album Plus plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via the ‘shortcode’ parameter in all versions up to, and including, 9.1.05.008 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that execute if they can successfully trick a user into performing an action such as clicking on a link.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/08/2026
The WP Photo Album Plus plugin represents a widely used media management solution for wordpress platforms, handling photo gallery functionalities through shortcode implementation. This particular vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 9.1.05.008, creating a persistent security risk for wordpress installations that utilize this plugin. The vulnerability manifests through improper input validation mechanisms that fail to adequately sanitize user-supplied data before processing. The reflected cross-site scripting flaw specifically targets the 'shortcode' parameter, which serves as an entry point for malicious code injection. This parameter processing occurs within the plugin's core functionality where user inputs are directly incorporated into web page responses without proper sanitization measures.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing crafted javascript code within the shortcode parameter. When an unsuspecting user clicks on this malicious link and the page containing the vulnerable shortcode is rendered, the injected script executes within the user's browser context. This reflected nature means the malicious payload is not stored on the server but rather delivered through the request itself, making it particularly dangerous for targeted attacks. The vulnerability stems from inadequate output escaping practices where the plugin fails to properly encode or escape special characters in the user-provided shortcode parameter before incorporating it into the html response. This lack of proper sanitization creates a direct pathway for attackers to execute arbitrary javascript code in the victim's browser, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or other malicious activities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform sophisticated social engineering campaigns targeting wordpress administrators and regular users. The reflected nature of the attack means that successful exploitation requires user interaction, typically through phishing emails or malicious links shared through social media platforms. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or inject additional malware payloads. The unauthenticated nature of the attack means that no prior access to the wordpress installation is required, making it particularly attractive to threat actors. This vulnerability can be exploited across different user roles within the wordpress ecosystem, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to sensitive data.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on immediate plugin updates to versions that address the input sanitization and output escaping issues. System administrators should implement comprehensive monitoring of user access logs to detect potential exploitation attempts through unusual parameter patterns. The implementation of content security policies can provide additional defense-in-depth measures by restricting script execution within the wordpress environment. Regular security audits of wordpress plugins should include verification of input validation and output escaping mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious requests targeting known vulnerable parameters. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and follows ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering tactics through malicious links. Network segmentation and user education programs can further reduce the risk surface by limiting the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts.