CVE-2025-7500 in Ocean Social Sharing Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/02/2025
The Ocean Social Sharing plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via social icon titles in all versions up to, and including, 2.2.1 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Contributor-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 • 08/05/2025
The Ocean Social Sharing plugin for WordPress presents a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-7500 affecting versions through 2.2.1. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's handling of social icon titles. The flaw specifically targets the plugin's administrative interface where social icon configurations are managed, creating a persistent vector for malicious script injection that can affect all users who view pages containing compromised social icons. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it requires only Contributor-level access or higher, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by users with relatively low privileges within a WordPress installation. This access level typically includes users who can publish posts and pages, making the attack surface broader than initially apparent. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that malicious scripts are permanently embedded within the plugin's data storage rather than requiring a single request to execute, allowing the payload to persist and affect multiple users over time.
The technical exploitation of CVE-2025-7500 occurs when authenticated users with Contributor permissions or higher navigate to the plugin's social icon management interface and input malicious script code into the title fields of social icons. These inputs are not properly sanitized before being stored in the database and subsequently rendered on frontend pages without adequate output escaping. When other users access pages containing these compromised social icons, the stored scripts execute in their browsers within the context of the vulnerable WordPress site, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a classic case of insufficient input validation where user-supplied data flows directly into web output without proper sanitization. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it leverages the trust relationship between the WordPress admin interface and the frontend display, allowing attackers to bypass typical security measures that protect against reflected XSS attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it enables attackers to perform sophisticated social engineering campaigns and maintain persistent access to compromised sites. An attacker could inject scripts that redirect users to phishing sites, steal cookies and session tokens, or even deploy additional malware through the compromised WordPress installation. The vulnerability's persistence means that even after the initial injection, the malicious code continues to execute for all users who encounter the affected pages, creating a long-term threat vector that can be difficult to detect and remove completely. The risk is further compounded by the fact that many WordPress installations may not regularly audit their social media plugin configurations, making such attacks harder to detect in production environments. This vulnerability also represents a potential pathway for attackers to escalate privileges within the WordPress environment, as successful XSS exploitation could lead to full site compromise and potentially affect other plugins or themes that share the same security context. Organizations using this plugin should consider the broader implications of such a vulnerability within their overall security posture.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-7500 should begin with immediate plugin updates to versions that address the sanitization and escaping issues, as vendors typically release patches for such vulnerabilities within 24-48 hours of public disclosure. System administrators should implement strict input validation measures that sanitize all user-supplied data before storage, particularly for fields that will be rendered on public-facing pages. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution even if XSS vulnerabilities exist elsewhere in the application. Regular security audits of plugin configurations and user access levels should be conducted to identify potential unauthorized modifications to social icon settings. Network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing role-based access controls that limit the ability of low-privilege users to modify critical plugin settings, though this should not be considered a substitute for proper input sanitization. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of proper output escaping and input validation in web applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering tactics that can be amplified through web-based vulnerabilities. Regular patch management processes should be strengthened to ensure timely application of security updates across all WordPress plugins and themes.