CVE-2025-12976 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the WordPress plugin 'Events Manager – Calendar, Bookings, Tickets, and more!' developed by netweblogic. This vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 7.2.2.1 and is caused by insufficient sanitization and output escaping of user-supplied attributes within the plugin's 'events_list_grouped' shortcode. Specifically, authenticated users with contributor-level access or higher can inject arbitrary JavaScript code into pages generated by this shortcode. Because the injected scripts are stored persistently, they execute whenever any user accesses the affected page, potentially compromising user sessions, stealing cookies, or performing unauthorized actions on behalf of users. The vulnerability does not require user interaction beyond visiting the infected page, but it does require the attacker to have contributor or higher privileges, which is a moderate barrier. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.4, reflecting a medium severity level with network attack vector, low attack complexity, and privileges required. The scope is changed (S:C), indicating that the vulnerability can affect resources beyond the vulnerable component. Confidentiality and integrity impacts are low, while availability is unaffected. No known public exploits have been reported yet, and no official patches have been linked, though it is expected that the vendor will release updates. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79, which covers improper neutralization of input during web page generation leading to XSS. This type of vulnerability is common in web applications and can be exploited to conduct phishing, session hijacking, or defacement attacks.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to websites running WordPress with the affected Events Manager plugin installed, especially those that allow contributor-level users to add or manage event content. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized script execution in the context of site visitors or administrators, potentially resulting in session hijacking, theft of sensitive information, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of users. This can damage organizational reputation, lead to data breaches, and disrupt event management operations. Since the vulnerability requires authenticated access, insider threats or compromised contributor accounts are the most likely attack vectors. The impact is particularly significant for organizations relying on the plugin for public-facing event management, such as cultural institutions, universities, conference organizers, and businesses hosting events. Given the widespread use of WordPress in Europe and the popularity of event management plugins, many organizations could be affected if they have not updated or mitigated this vulnerability. The lack of a patch at the time of disclosure increases exposure risk until remediation is applied.

1. Immediately review and restrict contributor-level access on WordPress sites using the Events Manager plugin to only trusted users. 2. Temporarily disable or remove the 'events_list_grouped' shortcode usage in posts or pages until a patch is available. 3. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious script injection attempts targeting the shortcode parameters. 4. Monitor logs for unusual activity from contributor accounts, including unexpected content changes or shortcode usage. 5. Educate content contributors about the risks of injecting untrusted content and enforce strict content policies. 6. Once the vendor releases a patch, apply it promptly and verify that input sanitization and output escaping are correctly implemented. 7. Consider deploying Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the impact of potential XSS attacks by restricting script sources. 8. Regularly audit installed plugins for vulnerabilities and maintain an update schedule to reduce exposure to known issues.