CVE-2025-12837 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the aThemes Addons for Elementor plugin for WordPress, specifically affecting the Call To Action widget in versions up to and including 1.1.5. The root cause is improper neutralization of input during web page generation, classified under CWE-79. Authenticated users with contributor-level or higher permissions can inject arbitrary JavaScript code into pages via insufficient input sanitization and lack of output escaping of user-supplied values. When other users access these compromised pages, the malicious scripts execute in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the victim. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.4, indicating medium severity, with an attack vector over the network, low attack complexity, requiring privileges but no user interaction, and impacting confidentiality and integrity with no effect on availability. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability's presence in a popular WordPress plugin used widely for website building increases the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability affects all versions up to 1.1.5, and no official patch links are currently available, suggesting that remediation may require vendor updates or manual mitigation. The vulnerability's exploitation scope is limited to authenticated users with contributor or higher roles, which is a moderate barrier but still significant given the commonality of such roles in content management workflows. The persistent nature of stored XSS increases the risk as injected scripts remain active until removed. This vulnerability highlights the importance of rigorous input validation and output encoding in web application components, especially those handling user-generated content.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-12837 can be significant, particularly for those relying on WordPress websites with the aThemes Addons for Elementor plugin installed. Exploitation can lead to unauthorized script execution in users' browsers, resulting in session hijacking, theft of sensitive information such as authentication tokens or personal data, and potential defacement or manipulation of website content. This can damage organizational reputation, lead to data breaches under GDPR regulations, and cause operational disruptions. Since the vulnerability requires contributor-level access, insider threats or compromised contributor accounts pose a realistic risk vector. The persistent nature of stored XSS means that once exploited, malicious scripts can affect multiple users over time, increasing the attack surface. European organizations in sectors such as e-commerce, media, education, and government that use WordPress extensively are particularly vulnerable. Furthermore, the confidentiality and integrity impacts can lead to regulatory non-compliance and financial penalties. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers often weaponize such vulnerabilities rapidly after disclosure.

1. Monitor for official patches or updates from the aThemes Addons for Elementor plugin vendor and apply them immediately upon release. 2. Until a patch is available, restrict contributor-level and higher permissions to trusted users only, minimizing the risk of malicious script injection. 3. Implement additional server-side input validation and output encoding for the Call To Action widget fields to neutralize potentially malicious input. 4. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block typical XSS payloads targeting the affected plugin components. 5. Conduct regular security audits and code reviews of customizations involving the plugin to identify and remediate unsafe input handling. 6. Educate content contributors on security best practices and the risks of injecting untrusted content. 7. Monitor website logs and user activity for unusual behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 8. Consider deploying Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers. 9. Backup website data regularly to enable quick restoration in case of compromise. 10. If feasible, temporarily disable or replace the vulnerable widget until a secure version is available.