CVE-2025-11801 is a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability affecting the AudioTube plugin for WordPress, versions up to and including 0.0.3. The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically insufficient sanitization and escaping of the 'caption' attribute within the 'audiotube' shortcode. Authenticated users with contributor-level privileges or higher can exploit this flaw by injecting arbitrary JavaScript code into the caption attribute. Because the injected script is stored persistently in the WordPress database and rendered on pages viewed by other users, it can execute in the context of any visitor's browser who accesses the compromised page. This can lead to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the victim user. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.4, reflecting medium severity, with an attack vector of network (remote), low attack complexity, requiring privileges (contributor or above), no user interaction, and a scope change due to affecting other users. No public exploit code or active exploitation has been reported yet. The root cause is a failure to properly sanitize and escape user-supplied input before rendering it in HTML output, a classic CWE-79 issue. Since the plugin is used in WordPress environments, the risk is tied to the presence of the vulnerable plugin and the existence of contributor-level accounts. The vulnerability is particularly relevant for sites that allow multiple contributors to add or edit content, such as blogs, media sites, or community portals using AudioTube for audio embedding.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to websites using the AudioTube WordPress plugin, especially those with contributor or editor roles enabled. Successful exploitation can lead to theft of user credentials, session tokens, or other sensitive information via malicious script execution in users' browsers. This can result in unauthorized access, defacement, or further compromise of the website and its users. The scope includes all visitors to the infected pages, potentially affecting customers, employees, or partners accessing the site. While the vulnerability does not directly impact system availability, the integrity and confidentiality of user data and site content can be compromised. Organizations relying on WordPress for public-facing or internal portals that embed audio content via this plugin are at risk. Given the medium severity, the impact is significant but not critical, yet it can be leveraged as a foothold for broader attacks if combined with other vulnerabilities or poor security practices. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk but should not lead to complacency.

1. Immediately audit WordPress sites for the presence of the AudioTube plugin and identify versions up to 0.0.3. 2. If an official patch or updated plugin version is released, apply it promptly to remediate the vulnerability. 3. Until a patch is available, restrict contributor-level access to trusted users only and consider temporarily disabling the plugin or the affected shortcode. 4. Implement strict input validation and output escaping on the 'caption' shortcode attribute to neutralize potentially malicious input. 5. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious script injection attempts targeting the shortcode. 6. Conduct regular security reviews of user roles and permissions to minimize the number of users with contributor or higher privileges. 7. Educate content contributors about the risks of injecting untrusted content and enforce content submission policies. 8. Monitor website logs and user reports for signs of XSS exploitation or unusual behavior. 9. Consider Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict script execution origins as a defense-in-depth measure.