CVE-2025-57911 in Adverts Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/22/2025
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in WPFactory Adverts allows DOM-Based XSS. This issue affects Adverts: from n/a through 1.4.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/22/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the WPFactory Adverts plugin, specifically manifesting as a DOM-based XSS vulnerability that enables attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages. The issue stems from inadequate input sanitization during the web page generation process, where user-supplied data is not properly neutralized before being rendered in the browser environment. The vulnerability affects all versions of the Adverts plugin from the initial release through version 1.4, indicating a long-standing security gap that has persisted across multiple iterations of the software.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the plugin processes user input through DOM manipulation methods without appropriate validation or encoding measures. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious payloads that leverage the plugin's handling of parameters within the URL or other input vectors, allowing them to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of a victim's browser session. This DOM-based XSS variant is particularly concerning because it operates directly within the browser's Document Object Model without requiring server-side processing, making it more difficult to detect and prevent through traditional server-side input validation mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious sites. An attacker could potentially steal administrator credentials, modify content displayed to users, or even compromise the entire WordPress installation if the affected user has elevated privileges. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple versions suggests that the underlying architectural flaw was not properly addressed during development cycles, creating a sustained risk for all users who have not updated to patched versions.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including updating to the latest version of the WPFactory Adverts plugin where the vulnerability has been resolved, implementing comprehensive input validation at multiple layers of the application architecture, and deploying Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious content. Additional defensive measures should include regular security audits of third-party plugins, implementation of web application firewalls, and monitoring for suspicious script execution patterns within user sessions.