CVE-2025-59552 in Save as PDF Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/22/2025
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Pdfcrowd Dev Team Save as PDF allows Stored XSS. This issue affects Save as PDF: from n/a through 4.5.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/22/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-59552 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Save as PDF plugin developed by Pdfcrowd Dev Team. This weakness falls under the well-documented CWE-79 category for improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically manifesting as a stored XSS vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The affected version range spans from an unspecified initial version through 4.5.2, indicating a potentially widespread impact across multiple releases of this popular PDF generation tool.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the plugin's web page generation process. When users submit content through the Save as PDF interface, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape user-provided data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages. This omission creates an environment where malicious actors can embed script tags or other executable code within input fields, which then gets stored within the application's database or storage mechanisms. Subsequently, when other users access pages containing this compromised data, the malicious scripts execute within their browser context, potentially stealing session cookies, redirecting to malicious sites, or performing unauthorized actions on behalf of the victims.
The operational impact of this stored XSS vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, creating significant risks for organizations relying on the Save as PDF plugin for document processing and sharing. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to gain persistent access to user sessions, potentially leading to complete account compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive documents. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that malicious payloads remain active until manually removed from the system, allowing attackers to maintain long-term access to affected environments. This threat is particularly concerning in enterprise settings where the plugin might be used for generating reports, sharing confidential documents, or processing user-generated content that could contain malicious inputs.
Organizations utilizing the Save as PDF plugin must implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability, beginning with updating to the latest available version that contains the necessary security patches. The remediation approach should include comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms that prevent malicious scripts from being stored or executed within the application's web pages. Security measures should incorporate proper HTML escaping techniques for all user-supplied content, implement Content Security Policy headers to restrict script execution, and establish regular security scanning procedures to identify similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing network-based protections such as web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns while maintaining detailed logging of user activities to monitor for potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input sanitization in web applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments, highlighting the need for comprehensive security practices in document processing systems.