The HT Mega – Absolute Addons For Elementor plugin for WordPress suffers from a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-13141. This vulnerability is due to improper neutralization of input during web page generation (CWE-79). Specifically, the plugin fails to properly validate and sanitize user-supplied HTML tag names in its Gutenberg blocks, allowing dangerous tags such as <script>, <iframe>, and <object> to be injected. Although the plugin uses tag_escape() for sanitization, it lacks a whitelist of allowed tags, enabling attackers to bypass this protection. Some blocks use esc_html() for content sanitization, but this can be circumvented using JavaScript encoding techniques like unquoted strings, backticks, and String.fromCharCode(). Exploitation requires authenticated access at contributor level or higher, enabling an attacker to inject arbitrary JavaScript that executes whenever a user accesses the infected page. This can lead to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or data exfiltration. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 3.0.0, with no patches currently available. The CVSS v3.1 score is 6.4, reflecting network attack vector, low attack complexity, privileges required, no user interaction, and impacts on confidentiality and integrity with no availability impact. No known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date.

For European organizations, this vulnerability can lead to significant security risks if exploited. Since the attack requires contributor-level access, insider threats or compromised accounts can be leveraged to inject malicious scripts. The injected scripts can steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of users, or redirect users to malicious sites, compromising user data confidentiality and integrity. Organizations relying on WordPress sites with this plugin, especially those with multiple contributors or less stringent access controls, face increased risk of website defacement, data leakage, or further exploitation through chained attacks. The lack of availability impact means service disruption is unlikely, but the reputational damage and potential regulatory consequences under GDPR for data breaches could be severe. Additionally, the widespread use of WordPress in Europe, including government, education, and commercial sectors, amplifies the potential impact.

Immediate mitigation steps include restricting contributor-level access to trusted users only and auditing existing user permissions to minimize risk. Organizations should monitor their WordPress sites for unusual content changes or injected scripts within pages using the HT Mega plugin. Employing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block XSS payloads targeting this plugin can reduce exploitation risk. Until an official patch is released, disabling or removing the HT Mega – Absolute Addons For Elementor plugin is advisable if feasible. Developers and site administrators should implement strict input validation and sanitization, including whitelisting allowed HTML tags and attributes. Regularly updating WordPress core and plugins, and applying security best practices such as Content Security Policy (CSP) headers, can further mitigate impact. Finally, educating contributors about the risks of injecting untrusted HTML content can reduce accidental exploitation.