CVE-2025-8618 in WPC Smart Quick View for WooCommerce Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/20/2025
The WPC Smart Quick View for WooCommerce plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the plugin's woosq_btn shortcode in all versions up to, and including, 4.2.1 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user supplied attributes. 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 • 08/20/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-8618 affects the WPC Smart Quick View for WooCommerce plugin, a popular WordPress extension that enhances product display functionality for online stores. This plugin enables users to preview product details without leaving the current page, but the security flaw lies within how it processes user-supplied attributes through the woosq_btn shortcode implementation. The vulnerability specifically impacts all versions up to and including 4.2.1, making it a widespread concern for WordPress sites utilizing this particular plugin. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and output escaping mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-provided data before it gets rendered in web pages.
The technical flaw manifests as a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that operates through the plugin's shortcode functionality. When authenticated attackers with contributor-level privileges or higher submit malicious input through the woosq_btn shortcode attributes, the plugin fails to adequately sanitize this data before storing it within the WordPress database. This stored malicious content then executes whenever any user accesses pages containing the injected code, creating a persistent security risk. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize or incorrectly sanitizing user-provided data, and it aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which covers the use of malicious content in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for WordPress administrators and site owners who rely on the WPC Smart Quick View plugin. Attackers with contributor-level access can inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of any user who views affected pages, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further compromise of the WordPress installation. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious code persists even after the initial injection, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect multiple users over time without requiring repeated exploitation attempts. This vulnerability undermines the security model of WordPress sites by allowing low-privilege users to execute arbitrary code on behalf of other users.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-8618 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the sanitization and escaping issues. WordPress administrators must ensure that all users with contributor-level access or higher are properly vetted and that role-based access controls are maintained to limit potential attack vectors. Security monitoring should include regular checks for unauthorized shortcode modifications and suspicious user activities. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious shortcode parameter patterns. Regular security audits of WordPress plugins and themes remain essential to identify similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by attackers.