CVE-2025-47449 in Meow Gallery Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/07/2025
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Jordy Meow Meow Gallery allows Stored XSS. This issue affects Meow Gallery: from n/a through 5.2.7.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-47449 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness within the Jordy Meow Meow Gallery plugin, specifically classified under CWE-79 as improper neutralization of input during web page generation. This flaw enables attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, creating a persistent security risk that can affect multiple visitors over time. The vulnerability manifests as a stored XSS attack, meaning that malicious code injected by an attacker persists in the application's database or storage system rather than being executed only during a single request. This characteristic makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can affect users long after the initial injection occurs, potentially compromising user sessions and data confidentiality.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the gallery plugin's web page generation process. When users submit content or interact with the gallery interface, the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied data before storing it and subsequently rendering it in web pages. This allows malicious actors to embed script tags or other executable code within gallery entries, comments, or configuration parameters. The affected version range spans from an unspecified beginning through version 5.2.7, indicating that multiple iterations of the plugin contained this security flaw. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that leverage the plugin's data handling mechanisms to execute arbitrary JavaScript in the context of other users' browsers.
The operational impact of this stored XSS vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive user information, manipulate gallery content, or redirect users to malicious websites. When users browse gallery pages containing the stored malicious scripts, their browsers execute the injected code, which can access cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive data. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments and T1059.007 for command and control through scripting, as attackers can establish persistent access through the compromised gallery functionality. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that even if an administrator patches the issue, previously injected malicious content continues to pose a threat to users who have already viewed affected pages.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-47449 should prioritize immediate patching of the Meow Gallery plugin to the latest secure version that addresses the XSS vulnerability. Organizations must implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent malicious data from being stored or rendered in web pages. Security teams should conduct thorough audits of all plugin and theme components to identify similar input sanitization issues. Additionally, implementing content security policies, regular security scanning, and user input sanitization practices can significantly reduce the risk of exploitation. Network monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be configured to detect suspicious script injection patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and the necessity of rigorous code review processes that specifically address input validation and output encoding to prevent cross-site scripting attacks.