CVE-2025-23586
Published: 03 March 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-23586 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 Browser Session Hijacking (T1185); ranked in the top 42.4% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; 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-2025-23586 is an Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation vulnerability, classified as Reflected Cross-site Scripting (XSS) under CWE-79, in the WP Post Category Notifications WordPress plugin (wp-post-category-notifications, also identified as MAL73049). This issue affects all versions of the plugin from n/a through 1.0 inclusive. The vulnerability was published on 2025-03-03.
The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.1 (High), with vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L. Remote attackers require no privileges and can exploit it over the network with low complexity, but it demands user interaction, such as clicking a malicious link. Successful exploitation changes the scope and enables limited impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, typically allowing arbitrary JavaScript execution in the victim's browser to steal session data or perform other client-side actions within the site's context.
The primary advisory is available from Patchstack at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Plugin/wp-post-category-notifications/vulnerability/wordpress-wp-post-category-notifications-plugin-1-0-reflected-cross-site-scripting-xss-vulnerability?_s_id=cve, which documents the Reflected XSS in version 1.0. Practitioners should review this reference for detailed analysis and any recommended mitigations, such as plugin updates or removal.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-5718
Vulnerability details
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in MAL73049 WP Post Category Notifications wp-post-category-notifications allows Reflected XSS.This issue affects WP Post Category Notifications: from n/a through <= 1.0.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Reflected XSS enables arbitrary JS execution in victim's browser to steal session data (T1539) and hijack browser sessions (T1185).
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Enforces validation of user inputs to prevent improper neutralization leading to reflected XSS script injection in the WordPress plugin.
Requires filtering and encoding of information outputs during web page generation to neutralize malicious scripts reflected from user input.
Mandates timely flaw remediation, such as patching or removing the vulnerable WP Post Category Notifications plugin to eliminate the XSS vulnerability.