CVE-2025-26917 in WP Templata Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/03/2025
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in HasThemes WP Templata allows Reflected XSS. This issue affects WP Templata: from n/a through 1.0.7.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/20/2025
This cross-site scripting vulnerability resides within the HasThemes WP Templata WordPress plugin, specifically targeting the web page generation process where input validation and sanitization mechanisms fail to properly neutralize user-supplied data. The flaw enables attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, creating a persistent security risk that can compromise user sessions and data integrity. The vulnerability manifests as a reflected cross-site scripting attack, where malicious payloads are reflected off the web server and executed in the victim's browser context, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that process user input directly into HTML output without proper encoding or validation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input handling within the plugin's template rendering system, where parameters passed through HTTP request variables are directly incorporated into generated HTML content without appropriate sanitization. This creates an environment where malicious actors can craft specially formatted URLs containing script tags or other malicious code that gets executed when users access the affected pages. The vulnerability affects all versions of WP Templata from the initial release through version 1.0.7, indicating that this flaw has persisted across multiple iterations of the plugin without proper remediation. According to CWE classification, this represents a CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly encode or escape user input before incorporating it into web page content, making it susceptible to injection attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, or even execute arbitrary commands on affected systems. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious URLs containing XSS payloads that, when clicked by unsuspecting users, will execute in their browsers and potentially lead to full compromise of user accounts. The reflected nature of the attack means that the malicious code is not stored on the server but is instead injected through the request parameters, making it difficult to detect through traditional security scanning methods. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001: Phishing, as it can be leveraged to create convincing phishing attacks that appear legitimate to end users.
Organizations using WP Templata plugin versions 1.0.7 or earlier should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the latest available version that addresses this vulnerability, implementing proper input validation at the application level, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious requests. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution and sanitize all user-supplied input before processing. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and output encoding in web applications, particularly in content management systems where user interaction with template rendering processes is common. Security teams should also conduct thorough penetration testing to identify any additional vulnerabilities in the affected plugin and ensure that all WordPress installations are regularly updated to prevent exploitation of known security flaws.