CVE-2025-46459 in Confirm User Registration Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 04/24/2025
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Ralf Hortt Confirm User Registration allows Stored XSS. This issue affects Confirm User Registration: from n/a through 2.1.5.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/24/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-46459 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Ralf Hortt Confirm User Registration plugin, specifically categorized under CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation. This weakness 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 exists in the plugin's handling of user input during the registration confirmation process, where insufficient sanitization allows malicious code to be stored and subsequently executed in the context of affected users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this stored XSS vulnerability occurs when user-provided data containing malicious script payloads is processed and stored within the plugin's database or application state. When subsequent users view pages generated from this stored data, the malicious scripts execute in their browsers, potentially stealing session cookies, redirecting to malicious sites, or performing unauthorized actions on behalf of victims. The affected version range spans from n/a through 2.1.5, indicating that all versions within this scope are vulnerable, with the specific versioning suggesting this could be a pre-release or initial versioning issue that was not properly addressed in the development lifecycle.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it creates a persistent attack vector that can be exploited by malicious actors to establish long-term presence within affected systems. Users who register through the vulnerable plugin may unknowingly become part of a supply chain attack, as their browsers execute the stored malicious code whenever they interact with the affected web application. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 Phishing, where attackers can leverage stored XSS to deliver malicious payloads through seemingly legitimate registration processes. The vulnerability particularly affects web applications that rely on user registration confirmation workflows, making it a significant concern for WordPress installations and other content management systems using this plugin.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of the affected plugin to version 2.1.6 or later, which should contain proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation that filters or encodes special characters in user-provided data before storage, particularly focusing on common XSS attack vectors such as script tags, event handlers, and javascript protocols. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, while regular security audits should verify that all user-generated content is properly sanitized before being rendered in web contexts. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can also provide browser-level protection against script execution, though this should complement rather than replace proper server-side input validation. Security teams should conduct thorough penetration testing to verify that the fix properly addresses all potential attack vectors and that no other similar vulnerabilities exist within the plugin's codebase.