CVE-2025-49242 in Bellows Accordion Menu Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/06/2025
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in sevenspark Bellows Accordion Menu allows Stored XSS. This issue affects Bellows Accordion Menu: from n/a through 1.4.3.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/06/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the sevenspark Bellows Accordion Menu plugin that enables stored XSS attacks. The issue stems from inadequate input sanitization during web page generation processes where user-supplied data is not properly neutralized before being rendered in HTML output. Attackers can exploit this weakness by injecting malicious script code into the plugin's input fields, which then gets stored and executed whenever the affected page is loaded by other users. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions ranging from an unspecified starting point through 1.4.3, indicating a prolonged exposure window where users have been at risk without proper mitigation. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which categorizes improper neutralization of input during web page generation as a primary cause of XSS attacks. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that malicious payloads persist in the application's database or storage mechanisms, making the attack vector particularly dangerous as it can affect multiple users over extended periods without requiring repeated exploitation attempts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution to potentially enable complete session hijacking, credential theft, and full compromise of user accounts. Attackers can leverage the stored XSS to inject malicious scripts that steal cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. The Bellows Accordion Menu plugin, being a widely used WordPress component for creating interactive accordion interfaces, creates an ideal attack surface where malicious code can be embedded in menu configurations or content fields. When users browse pages containing the compromised accordion menus, their browsers execute the injected scripts, potentially leading to data exfiltration, privilege escalation, or redirection to malicious domains. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1566 for credential access and T1190 for exploitation of vulnerabilities. The persistence of stored XSS makes this particularly concerning for websites with high user interaction or administrative access, as it can remain active for extended periods without detection.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term prevention measures. The most critical step involves upgrading to the latest version of the Bellows Accordion Menu plugin where the XSS vulnerability has been patched. Users should also implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent similar issues in other components. Security headers such as Content Security Policy (CSP) can provide additional protection by restricting script execution and limiting the impact of potential XSS attacks. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other plugins or custom code. Organizations should also implement web application firewalls and runtime application self-protection mechanisms to detect and block malicious input attempts. Input sanitization should follow established security practices including parameterized queries, proper HTML encoding, and validation of all user-supplied data against whitelisted character sets. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and implementing defense-in-depth strategies that protect against multiple attack vectors rather than relying solely on a single security control mechanism.