CVE-2025-53582 in WordLift Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/14/2025
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in WordLift WordLift allows Stored XSS. This issue affects WordLift: from n/a through 3.54.5.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/14/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-53582 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the WordLift plugin for WordPress, specifically affecting versions ranging from an unspecified starting point through 3.54.5. This stored XSS vulnerability occurs during the web page generation process when user input is improperly sanitized or neutralized before being rendered in web pages. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that persist in the application's database and execute whenever affected pages are accessed by other users, making it particularly dangerous for content management systems where multiple users interact with shared data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the WordLift plugin's handling of user-provided data. When users submit content through the plugin's interface, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This weakness creates an opportunity for attackers to craft malicious payloads that are stored in the database and subsequently executed in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly escape or encode user input before including it in dynamically generated web content. The stored nature of this XSS means that the malicious code is not limited to a single request but remains persistent, amplifying its potential impact across multiple user sessions and interactions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and unauthorized modifications to the affected WordPress site. An attacker could potentially escalate privileges by stealing administrator sessions, modify content, or redirect users to malicious websites. The vulnerability affects any user who has access to the WordLift plugin interface, including content editors, administrators, and potentially even subscribers with appropriate permissions. The persistent nature of stored XSS means that the attack surface remains active until the vulnerability is patched, potentially allowing attackers to maintain long-term access to compromised systems. This type of vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001: Phishing, as attackers could use the XSS to craft convincing phishing pages or steal sensitive information from users.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of the WordLift plugin to version 3.54.6 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding practices across all user-facing interfaces, ensuring that all data is properly sanitized before storage or display. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection by monitoring for suspicious payloads and blocking known attack patterns. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other plugins and themes. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can further reduce the impact of successful XSS attacks by preventing the execution of unauthorized scripts, though this should be viewed as a supplementary defense rather than a primary mitigation. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual data modifications and unexpected script execution patterns within the WordPress environment, as these could indicate exploitation attempts.