The7 — Website and eCommerce Builder for WordPress theme suffers from a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-11897. This vulnerability exists due to improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically through the 'the7_fancy_title_css' parameter. All versions up to and including 12.9.1 are affected. The flaw allows authenticated users with Contributor-level access or higher to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into pages. Because the injected scripts are stored and executed whenever any user accesses the compromised page, this can lead to persistent XSS attacks. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input sanitization and lack of proper output escaping, violating secure coding practices for web applications. The CVSS 3.1 score of 6.4 reflects a medium severity, with an attack vector over the network, low attack complexity, requiring privileges but no user interaction, and impacting confidentiality and integrity with a scope change. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the presence of Contributor-level access as a prerequisite means that attackers with limited privileges can leverage this to escalate their impact. This vulnerability is particularly concerning for WordPress sites using The7 theme for eCommerce or content-heavy websites, where multiple users interact and content is dynamically generated. The stored nature of the XSS increases the risk as it can affect many users over time. The lack of a patch at the time of reporting necessitates immediate mitigation steps to prevent exploitation.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality and integrity of their web platforms. Exploitation could lead to session hijacking, theft of sensitive user data, defacement of websites, or distribution of malware to site visitors. eCommerce sites using The7 theme may suffer reputational damage and financial losses if customer trust is compromised. The requirement for Contributor-level access means insider threats or compromised low-privilege accounts can be leveraged to inject malicious scripts, increasing the attack surface. Given the widespread use of WordPress and The7 theme in Europe, especially in countries with strong eCommerce sectors like Germany, the UK, France, and the Netherlands, the potential impact is broad. Persistent XSS can also facilitate further attacks such as privilege escalation or pivoting within the network. Additionally, regulatory compliance risks arise under GDPR if personal data is exposed or manipulated due to this vulnerability. The medium severity score suggests a moderate but actionable threat that should be addressed promptly to avoid exploitation.

European organizations should immediately audit user roles and permissions on WordPress sites using The7 theme, restricting Contributor-level access to trusted users only. Until an official patch is released, implement manual input validation and output escaping on the 'the7_fancy_title_css' parameter, possibly via custom code or security plugins that sanitize inputs. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules targeting XSS payloads to detect and block malicious requests. Monitor logs for unusual activity from Contributor accounts and conduct regular security scans focusing on stored XSS indicators. Educate content contributors about the risks of injecting untrusted code or CSS. Once Dream-Theme releases a patch, prioritize immediate updates to the theme to remediate the vulnerability. Additionally, consider implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the impact of any injected scripts. Regular backups and incident response plans should be reviewed to quickly recover from potential exploitation.