CVE-2025-23758
Published: 22 January 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-23758 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 46.2th 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-2025-23758 is an Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation vulnerability, classified as Reflected Cross-site Scripting (XSS) under CWE-79, affecting the Pootle Button WordPress plugin (also referred to as pootlepress Pootle button pootle-button). This issue impacts all versions from n/a through 1.2.0. 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 attack complexity, no required privileges, user interaction, and changed scope.
Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this vulnerability remotely by crafting malicious input that is reflected back in the web page without proper neutralization. Exploitation requires tricking a user, such as an authenticated site visitor or administrator, into interacting with a malicious payload, typically via a phishing link or similar vector. Successful attacks enable arbitrary JavaScript execution in the victim's browser context, potentially allowing theft of session cookies, keystroke logging, or other client-side impacts, with low confidentiality, integrity, and availability effects but elevated risk from the changed scope.
The Patchstack advisory at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Plugin/pootle-button/vulnerability/wordpress-pootle-button-plugin-1-2-0-reflected-cross-site-scripting-xss-vulnerability?_s_id=cve details the Reflected XSS vulnerability in the Pootle Button plugin up to version 1.2.0 and serves as the primary reference for security practitioners seeking mitigation guidance.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-3394
Vulnerability details
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in pootlepress Pootle button pootle-button allows Reflected XSS.This issue affects Pootle button: from n/a through <= 1.2.0.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Reflected XSS in public-facing WordPress plugin enables exploitation of public-facing applications via crafted malicious links requiring user interaction for JS execution.
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
SI-15 directly mitigates reflected XSS by requiring filtering and sanitization of user inputs prior to rendering in web pages generated by the Pootle Button plugin.
SI-10 enforces validation and sanitization of inputs to the Pootle Button plugin, preventing acceptance of malicious JavaScript payloads that could be reflected.
SI-2 ensures timely remediation of the specific improper neutralization flaw in Pootle Button versions through 1.2.0 by applying patches or updates.