CVE-2025-8290 in List Subpages Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/29/2025
The List Subpages plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the ‘title’ parameter in all versions up to, and including, 1.0.6 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 • 08/29/2025
The CVE-2025-8290 vulnerability affects the List Subpages plugin for WordPress, representing a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw that compromises user security. This vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 1.0.6, making it a widespread concern for WordPress installations that utilize this plugin. The flaw stems from inadequate input sanitization and insufficient output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's handling of the 'title' parameter, creating an exploitable vector for malicious actors who possess Contributor-level access or higher privileges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows authenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts into the plugin's title parameter, which are then stored within the WordPress database. When legitimate users access pages containing these malicious scripts, the injected code executes in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. This stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious payloads persist even after the initial injection, making the attack particularly dangerous as it can affect multiple users over extended periods without requiring repeated exploitation attempts.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability significantly undermines the security posture of WordPress sites using the affected plugin, as it requires only Contributor-level privileges to exploit. This access level is often granted to users who should not have the ability to compromise the entire site's security. The vulnerability enables attackers to establish persistent footholds within the WordPress environment, potentially leading to full site compromise or serving as a stepping stone for further attacks. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it leverages legitimate plugin functionality, making the malicious activity appear normal to security monitoring systems.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes Cross-Site Scripting flaws, and represents a classic case of insufficient output escaping in web applications. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving command and control communications and privilege escalation through web application exploitation. The attack chain typically begins with an authenticated user gaining access to the plugin's administrative interface, followed by crafting malicious payloads that exploit the input validation weakness, ultimately resulting in persistent script execution on victim browsers. Organizations should immediately update to patched versions of the plugin or implement temporary mitigations such as restricting user privileges and monitoring for suspicious activity in the affected plugin's functionality.
The broader implications extend beyond immediate exploitation as this vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly minor input validation flaws can create significant security risks in content management systems. The ease of exploitation combined with the persistence of stored XSS attacks makes this vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors. Security professionals should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security audits to detect similar patterns in other plugins or custom code implementations that may exhibit similar weaknesses in input handling and output escaping mechanisms.