CVE-2025-31427 in Invico Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/16/2025
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in designthemes Invico - WordPress Consulting Business Theme allows Reflected XSS. This issue affects Invico - WordPress Consulting Business Theme: from n/a through 1.9.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/17/2025
The vulnerability CVE-2025-31427 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the designthemes Invico WordPress consulting business theme, specifically targeting reflected XSS attack vectors. This weakness stems from inadequate input sanitization during web page generation processes, creating an exploitable pathway for malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into web applications. The vulnerability manifests when user-supplied input is directly incorporated into dynamically generated web pages without proper neutralization or encoding mechanisms. The affected version range spans from an unspecified initial version through 1.9, indicating a long-standing issue that has persisted across multiple releases of the theme. This reflects poorly on the theme developer's input validation practices and highlights the critical importance of implementing robust security controls during web application development.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the theme fails to properly sanitize or escape user input parameters before rendering them within HTML output. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious URLs containing script payloads that are then reflected back to users browsing the affected website. The reflected nature of this XSS means that the malicious script executes in the victim's browser context without requiring persistent storage or server-side modification. This attack vector typically involves injecting script code through URL parameters, form fields, or other user-controllable inputs that the theme processes and displays without adequate security measures. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 which defines improper neutralization of input during web page generation as a primary cause of cross-site scripting attacks. The attack follows standard reflected XSS patterns where the malicious payload is delivered via a crafted URL that, when visited by an unsuspecting user, executes the injected code within the user's browser session.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack scenarios that compromise user sessions and potentially lead to complete account takeovers. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to steal cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive information from authenticated users who visit the maliciously crafted URL. The reflected nature of the attack means that users must actively click on the malicious link, but once executed, the script can perform actions on behalf of the user, including modifying content, redirecting to malicious sites, or harvesting credentials. This vulnerability particularly affects WordPress consulting business themes where users may have administrative privileges or access to sensitive business information, amplifying the potential damage. Organizations using this theme face significant risk of data breaches, reputation damage, and potential regulatory compliance violations. The attack surface is broad since any user interaction with the theme's web pages could provide an entry point for exploitation, making it a high-priority security concern for businesses relying on this WordPress theme.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-31427 must focus on implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the theme's codebase. The primary solution involves ensuring that all user-supplied input is properly escaped or sanitized before being rendered in web page contexts, particularly when incorporating data into HTML attributes, JavaScript contexts, or CSS. Security patches should enforce strict input validation using established sanitization libraries and implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution. Organizations should immediately update to the latest available version of the Invico theme that contains fixes for this vulnerability, as the affected version range indicates that multiple releases were vulnerable. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar input validation weaknesses in other components of the WordPress ecosystem. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious traffic patterns can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering tactics including the use of malicious links to execute code in user browsers, emphasizing the need for both technical and user awareness-based defenses.