CVE-2025-22676 in AWS S3 Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 02/17/2025
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in upcasted AWS S3 for WordPress Plugin – Upcasted allows Stored XSS. This issue affects AWS S3 for WordPress Plugin – Upcasted: from n/a through 3.0.3.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/17/2025
The CVE-2025-22676 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the AWS S3 for WordPress Plugin – Upcasted that enables stored XSS attacks. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting and specifically manifests as an improper neutralization of input during web page generation. The flaw exists within the plugin's handling of user-supplied data that gets stored and subsequently rendered in web pages without adequate sanitization or encoding mechanisms. The affected version range spans from the initial release through version 3.0.3, indicating this vulnerability has been present for an extended period and potentially affects numerous WordPress installations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly sanitize or escape user input before storing it in the database and later outputting it in HTML contexts. When users interact with the plugin's administrative interfaces or frontend components, any malicious script code submitted through input fields, parameters, or content areas gets stored persistently within the WordPress database. During subsequent page generation, this malicious code executes in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected pages, creating a classic stored XSS scenario. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that can execute with the privileges of authenticated users, potentially leading to full account compromise or unauthorized administrative access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform a wide range of malicious activities within the compromised WordPress environment. Attackers can leverage this stored XSS to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, modify page content, or even execute arbitrary commands on the affected WordPress installation. The vulnerability's persistence means that once exploited, the malicious scripts continue to execute for all users who access the affected pages until the malicious content is removed from the database. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where administrators and regular users may be targeted simultaneously, potentially affecting the entire WordPress site's integrity and user trust.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-22676 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the XSS vulnerability, as this represents the most effective defense against the known flaw. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms within their WordPress installations, ensuring that all user-supplied data undergoes proper sanitization before being stored or rendered in web contexts. Network-based protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional layers of defense by monitoring for suspicious script patterns and blocking known XSS attack vectors. Security administrators should conduct thorough audits of their WordPress installations to identify any potential exploitation attempts and implement regular security monitoring to detect unusual activities that might indicate successful exploitation of this vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.005 for command and script injection, emphasizing the need for proper input validation and output encoding as core defensive measures against such attacks.