CVE-2025-7963 in Easy Waveform Player Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/02/2026
The Easy Waveform Player plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the shortcode_easywaveformplayer() function in all versions up to, and including, 1.2.2 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 • 09/02/2026
The Easy Waveform Player plugin for WordPress contains a critical security vulnerability identified as Stored Cross-Site Scripting within the shortcode_easywaveformplayer function across all versions up to 1.2.2. This flaw stems from insufficient input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms, which allow malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts into content that is subsequently rendered in users' browsers. The vulnerability specifically affects authenticated attackers who possess Contributor-level access or higher privileges within the WordPress environment. Unlike reflected cross-site scripting where payloads are delivered via URLs, this stored variant persists on the server side, meaning the injected script is saved and executed every time a user accesses an affected page, significantly increasing the potential impact window and victim pool.
From a technical perspective, the root cause lies in the failure to properly validate or escape data before it is processed by the shortcode function. When a contributor-level user creates or edits content containing the Easy Waveform Player shortcode, any malicious JavaScript code embedded within that input is not stripped out nor encoded for safe HTML rendering. Consequently, when an administrator or another authorized user views this page, their browser interprets and executes the injected script in the context of the vulnerable site. This execution environment grants the attacker the ability to perform actions on behalf of the victim, access sensitive cookies or session tokens, redirect users to phishing sites, or deface the website content. The persistence of the payload ensures that multiple victims can be compromised without further interaction from the initial attacker.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its stored nature and the relatively low privilege threshold required for exploitation. Contributor-level access is often granted to freelance writers, guest bloggers, or junior staff members who may not have full administrative oversight but still possess significant content creation rights. An attacker compromising such an account can silently plant malicious scripts that remain active until manually removed by a site administrator. This creates a persistent threat vector where the vulnerability remains exploitable indefinitely unless detected and patched. The ability to execute arbitrary JavaScript enables session hijacking, which can lead to full account takeover if combined with other techniques like stealing admin cookies. Furthermore, it facilitates data exfiltration from users who view the compromised pages, potentially exposing personal information or internal site structures depending on the application's functionality.
In terms of industry classification standards, this vulnerability aligns closely with CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation commonly known as Cross-site Scripting and specifically falls under Stored XSS variants where malicious content is saved in a database or file system for later retrieval by other users. The exploitation technique maps to MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to Client-side Injection, particularly T1059 which covers command and script interpretation through browser-based execution environments like JavaScript engines used within modern web browsers. Understanding these mappings helps security teams prioritize remediation efforts based on established threat intelligence frameworks that categorize the behavior and impact of such attacks against web applications.
To mitigate this vulnerability, immediate action is required to update the Easy Waveform Player plugin to a version newer than 1.2.2 where the input sanitization and output escaping issues have been resolved by the developers. Until an official patch is available or applied, site administrators should restrict contributor-level access to trusted individuals only and consider implementing Web Application Firewall rules that detect and block common XSS payload patterns in POST requests associated with content creation endpoints. Additionally, enabling Content Security Policy headers can help mitigate the impact of any successfully injected scripts by restricting the sources from which executable code can be loaded or executed within the browser context. Regular security audits and penetration testing should also be conducted to identify similar flaws in other plugins that handle user-generated content without adequate validation measures.