Cyber Resilience

CVE-2025-22521

High

Published: 09 January 2025

Published
09 January 2025
Modified
23 April 2026
KEV Added
—
Patch
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CVSS Score v3.1 7.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L
EPSS Score 0.0015 35.6th percentile
Risk Priority 14 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2025-22521 is a high-severity Cross-site Scripting (CWE-79) vulnerability. Its CVSS base score is 7.1 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked at the 35.6th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 SI-10 (Information Input Validation) and SI-15 (Information Output Filtering).

Deeper analysis

CVE-2025-22521 is an Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation vulnerability, enabling Reflected Cross-site Scripting (XSS) as classified under CWE-79. It affects the WordPress plugin "wp Hosting Performance Check" by Scott Farrell, with all versions from n/a through 2.18.8 vulnerable. The issue was published on 2025-01-09 and carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.1 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L).

Remote attackers with no required privileges can exploit this vulnerability over the network with low attack complexity, though it requires user interaction such as visiting a maliciously crafted link or page. Exploitation changes scope and results in low impacts to confidentiality, integrity, and availability, allowing injected scripts to execute in the context of the victim's browser.

The Patchstack advisory at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Plugin/wp-hosting-performance-check/vulnerability/wordpress-wp-hosting-performance-check-plugin-2-18-8-reflected-cross-site-scripting-xss-vulnerability?_s_id=cve details the Reflected XSS issue in wp-hosting-performance-check plugin version 2.18.8, serving as the primary reference for mitigation guidance.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability details

Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Scott Farrell wp Hosting Performance Check wp-hosting-performance-check allows Reflected XSS.This issue affects wp Hosting Performance Check: from n/a through <= 2.18.8.

CWE(s)
CWE-79

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
attack.mitre.org →
Why these techniques?

Reflected XSS in public-facing WordPress plugin directly enables exploitation of the web application over the network.

Confidence: HIGH · MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v18.1

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2021-47873Shared CWE-79
CVE-2026-7052Shared CWE-79
CVE-2024-56060Shared CWE-79
CVE-2025-49043Shared CWE-79
CVE-2026-40038Shared CWE-79
CVE-2024-56022Shared CWE-79
CVE-2025-68889Shared CWE-79
CVE-2026-1074Shared CWE-79
CVE-2025-22539Shared CWE-79
CVE-2025-22286Shared CWE-79

Affected Assets

Mitigating Controls

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

SI-15 Information Output Filtering good match
prevent

Directly addresses reflected XSS by requiring filtering of information outputs to prevent injection of malicious scripts during web page generation.

SI-10 Information Input Validation good match
prevent

Enforces validation of user inputs to neutralize or reject malicious payloads that could be reflected as XSS in web pages.

SI-2 Flaw Remediation good match
prevent

Mandates timely identification, reporting, and correction of flaws such as the improper neutralization vulnerability in the WordPress plugin.

References