CVE-2025-22544 in Visual Sitemaps & Tasks Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/07/2025
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Mind Doodle Mind Doodle Visual Sitemaps & Tasks allows Stored XSS.This issue affects Mind Doodle Visual Sitemaps & Tasks: from n/a through 1.6.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/15/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw that enables attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The issue resides within the Mind Doodle Visual Sitemaps & Tasks plugin where input validation and output sanitization mechanisms fail to properly neutralize user-supplied data during web page generation processes. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that malicious scripts are permanently saved within the application's database and executed whenever affected pages are rendered to unsuspecting users. This particular flaw affects all versions of the plugin from the initial release through version 1.6, indicating a long-standing security weakness that has not been adequately addressed.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices within the plugin's web page generation logic. When users submit content through the sitemaps and tasks functionality, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This allows attackers to inject malicious payloads that are then stored in the database and subsequently executed in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531 which focuses on external remote exploitation through web application vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of this stored XSS vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. Attackers can leverage this flaw to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of victims, redirect users to malicious websites, or even install malware on affected systems. Since the vulnerability affects the sitemaps and tasks functionality, it could be exploited by attackers who gain access to legitimate user accounts through other means, or by targeting administrators who regularly use the plugin. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that even after the initial injection, the malicious code continues to execute for all users who view the affected pages without requiring repeated exploitation attempts.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the plugin's codebase. All user-supplied input must be sanitized using appropriate escaping techniques before being stored or rendered in web pages, with context-appropriate encoding for html, javascript, and css contexts. The plugin should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution and prevent unauthorized code injection. Additionally, input length limits and character set restrictions should be enforced to minimize potential attack surfaces. Users should be encouraged to update to the latest available version of the plugin where this vulnerability has been patched, and administrators should implement monitoring to detect any suspicious activity or unauthorized code injection attempts within their systems. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application stack.