CVE-2025-23620
Published: 16 January 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-23620 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 20.4th 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-2025-23620 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 Captchelfie – Captcha by Selfie (captchelfie-captcha-by-selfie) in all versions from n/a through 1.0.7 inclusive. The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.1, with vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L, indicating high severity due to network accessibility, low complexity, no required privileges, user interaction, and changed scope.
Remote attackers require no privileges to exploit this issue by injecting malicious payloads into inputs that are reflected unsanitized on the web page. Victims must interact, typically by visiting a crafted URL, triggering arbitrary JavaScript execution in their browser context. This allows limited impacts: low confidentiality (e.g., potential session data exposure), integrity (e.g., minor page manipulation), and availability (e.g., brief denial via scripts), with scope expansion possibly affecting site users or resources.
Patchstack provides advisory details on this WordPress plugin vulnerability at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Plugin/captchelfie-captcha-by-selfie/vulnerability/wordpress-captchelfie-captcha-by-selfie-plugin-1-0-7-reflected-cross-site-scripting-xss-vulnerability?_s_id=cve, which security practitioners should review for recommended mitigations such as plugin updates or input validation workarounds.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-3289
Vulnerability details
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in trof Captchelfie – Captcha by Selfie captchelfie-captcha-by-selfie allows Reflected XSS.This issue affects Captchelfie – Captcha by Selfie: from n/a through <= 1.0.7.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Reflected XSS in public-facing WordPress plugin directly enables exploitation of public-facing applications (T1190) via crafted URLs and facilitates arbitrary JavaScript execution in browser context (T1059.007).
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Filters information outputs to neutralize unsanitized user inputs reflected in web pages, directly preventing reflected XSS execution in the Captchelfie plugin.
Validates inputs to the Captchelfie plugin to block malicious payloads before they are processed and reflected, addressing improper neutralization during web page generation.
Requires timely flaw remediation through patching the vulnerable Captchelfie plugin versions up to 1.0.7, eliminating the XSS vulnerability at its source.