CVE-2025-6716 in Contest Gallery Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/11/2025
The Photos, Files, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Ecommerce Contest Gallery – Upload, Vote, Sell via PayPal or Stripe, Social Share Buttons, OpenAI plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the 'upload[1][title]' parameter in all versions up to, and including, 26.0.8 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Author-level access and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/11/2025
This vulnerability exists within a popular WordPress plugin that provides extensive multimedia and social integration capabilities including photo uploads, file management, social media sharing, and e-commerce functionality. The plugin serves as a comprehensive solution for WordPress sites requiring robust media handling and social engagement features. The stored cross-site scripting flaw represents a critical security weakness that can be exploited by authenticated attackers who have reached author-level privileges or higher within the WordPress environment. The vulnerability specifically affects versions up to and including 26.0.8, indicating this represents a long-standing issue that has persisted across multiple releases. The attack vector targets the 'upload[1][title]' parameter which suggests the vulnerability occurs during the processing of media upload titles within the plugin's file handling system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and insufficient output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase. When an authenticated user with author privileges or higher submits data containing malicious script code through the title parameter, the plugin fails to properly sanitize this input before storing it in the database. Additionally, the plugin does not implement proper output escaping when rendering these stored values back to users, creating the conditions for persistent XSS attacks. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in software applications. The flaw demonstrates poor secure coding practices where input validation and output encoding are not properly implemented throughout the data flow cycle, allowing malicious payloads to persist and execute in the context of other users' browsers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the browsers of other users who view affected pages. This persistent threat can lead to various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, redirection to malicious sites, and data exfiltration. Attackers could potentially use this vulnerability to gain access to user sessions, steal sensitive information, or manipulate the functionality of the WordPress site. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only author-level privileges, which is relatively accessible in many WordPress installations where user management is not strictly controlled. This makes the attack surface particularly concerning as it can be leveraged by insiders or compromised accounts with moderate privileges, potentially leading to broader system compromise. The stored nature of the XSS means that the malicious code will execute every time affected pages are accessed, creating a persistent threat that can affect multiple users over extended periods.
Organizations should immediately implement several mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. The most critical action is to update the plugin to the latest available version where the XSS flaw has been patched and properly sanitized. System administrators should also implement additional security measures including input validation at multiple layers, enhanced output escaping for all dynamic content, and regular security audits of plugin code. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious user activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers spearphishing attacks, as attackers could potentially use this vulnerability to deliver malicious payloads through compromised user accounts. Implementing proper access controls and role-based permissions can help limit the impact of compromised accounts, while regular security assessments should include vulnerability scanning of all installed plugins to identify similar issues. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing content security policies to provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks.