CVE-2025-28917

High

Published: 26 March 2025

Published

26 March 2025

Modified

23 April 2026

KEV Added

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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 0.0021 43.1th percentile

Risk Priority 14 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2025-28917 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 43.1th 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-2025-28917 is an Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation vulnerability, classified as Stored Cross-site Scripting (XSS) under CWE-79, in the crazyloong Custom Smilies (custom-smilies-se) WordPress plugin. This issue affects all versions from n/a through 2.9.2. Published on 2025-03-26T15:16:16.803, it 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).

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability remotely with low complexity and no required privileges, though it necessitates user interaction such as viewing a maliciously crafted page. By injecting payloads through the plugin's smilies functionality, adversaries can store scripts that execute in victims' browsers, achieving low impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability within a changed scope.

The Patchstack advisory at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Plugin/custom-smilies-se/vulnerability/wordpress-custom-smilies-plugin-2-9-2-cross-site-scripting-xss-vulnerability?_s_id=cve documents the Stored XSS vulnerability in Custom Smilies plugin version 2.9.2, providing details for WordPress administrators to address the issue.

EU & UK References

🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-8142

Vulnerability details

Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in crazyloong Custom Smilies custom-smilies-se allows Stored XSS.This issue affects Custom Smilies: from n/a through <= 2.9.2.

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 →

T1189 Drive-by Compromise Initial Access

Adversaries may gain access to a system through a user visiting a website over the normal course of browsing.

attack.mitre.org →

Why these techniques?

Stored XSS in public-facing WordPress plugin directly enables T1190 (exploiting the web app vuln to inject payloads) and facilitates T1189 (drive-by compromise via malicious scripts executing in visitors' browsers).

Confidence: MEDIUM · MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v19.0