CVE-2025-25137 in Social Links Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/03/2025
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in NotFound Social Links allows Stored XSS. This issue affects Social Links: from n/a through 1.0.11.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/03/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-25137 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the NotFound Social Links plugin, specifically impacting versions ranging from n/a through 1.0.11. This weakness falls under the well-established category of CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental web application security concern that has been documented extensively in industry standards and security frameworks. The vulnerability manifests as a stored XSS attack vector, meaning that malicious input submitted by an attacker is permanently stored on the server and subsequently executed when other users view the affected web page.
The technical implementation of this flaw occurs during the web page generation process where user-supplied data is not properly sanitized or escaped before being rendered in the browser context. When users interact with the social links functionality, the plugin fails to adequately validate and neutralize potentially malicious input that could contain script tags or other executable code. This improper handling allows attackers to inject persistent malicious scripts that will execute in the context of other users' browsers, creating a persistent threat that can affect anyone who views the compromised content. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data theft as it can enable session hijacking, defacement of web pages, and the execution of arbitrary commands on affected systems.
The operational implications of this stored XSS vulnerability are severe and multifaceted. Attackers can leverage this weakness to steal user session cookies, potentially gaining unauthorized access to user accounts and administrative privileges. The persistent nature of stored XSS means that the malicious payload remains active even after the initial injection, continuously affecting all users who encounter the compromised content. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1566.001 for initial access through malicious links and T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter execution. The attack surface is particularly concerning for websites that rely heavily on social media integration and user-generated content, as the plugin's functionality makes it a prime target for exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening. The most effective immediate solution involves updating to the latest version of the Social Links plugin where the XSS vulnerability has been patched and proper input sanitization has been implemented. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout their web applications, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly escaped before being rendered in HTML contexts. Additional protective measures include implementing content security policies to restrict script execution, utilizing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components. The remediation process should also include user education about the risks of clicking suspicious links and the importance of keeping software updated. Security teams must monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability and establish incident response procedures to address potential exploitation attempts.