CVE-2025-13196 is a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability identified in the Element Pack Addons for Elementor WordPress plugin, affecting all versions up to and including 8.3.4. The vulnerability specifically targets the Open Street Map widget's marker content parameter, where insufficient input sanitization and output escaping allow authenticated users with contributor-level access or higher to inject arbitrary JavaScript code. This malicious code is stored persistently and executed in the context of any user who views the affected page, potentially leading to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or unauthorized actions within the WordPress site. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.4, reflecting a medium severity with network attack vector, low attack complexity, requiring privileges (PR:L), and user interaction (UI:R). The scope is changed (S:C), indicating that the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. The impact affects confidentiality and integrity but not availability. No patches or exploit code are currently publicly available, and no known active exploitation has been reported. The vulnerability arises from the plugin's render function failing to properly sanitize and escape user-supplied attributes, allowing stored XSS payloads to be embedded in the marker content. This flaw can be exploited by users with contributor or higher roles, which typically have permissions to add or edit content but not full administrative rights. The persistent nature of the XSS increases risk as multiple users can be affected upon viewing the compromised content. This vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices in WordPress plugins, especially those handling user-generated content in widgets.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk primarily to websites using WordPress with the vulnerable Element Pack Addons for Elementor plugin. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized script execution in the context of site users, potentially resulting in session hijacking, theft of sensitive information, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of legitimate users. This can compromise the confidentiality and integrity of user data and site content. Organizations relying on WordPress for customer-facing websites, intranets, or content management may face reputational damage, data breaches, or compliance issues under GDPR if personal data is exposed. The requirement for authenticated contributor-level access reduces the risk from external attackers but insider threats or compromised contributor accounts increase the attack surface. The lack of known exploits in the wild suggests a window for proactive mitigation. However, the widespread use of WordPress and Elementor in Europe, especially in sectors like e-commerce, media, and public services, means that the potential impact is non-trivial. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to pivot to more damaging attacks or persistent footholds within affected organizations.

European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Immediately audit and restrict contributor-level access to trusted users only, minimizing the risk of malicious script injection. 2) Conduct thorough content reviews and implement content moderation workflows to detect and remove suspicious or unauthorized marker content in Open Street Map widgets. 3) Monitor WordPress plugin updates closely and apply patches from bdthemes as soon as they become available. 4) Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block typical XSS payloads targeting the marker content parameter. 5) Use security plugins that can scan for stored XSS vulnerabilities and sanitize user inputs proactively. 6) Educate content contributors about the risks of injecting untrusted content and enforce strict input validation policies. 7) Consider disabling or replacing the vulnerable Open Street Map widget if immediate patching is not feasible. 8) Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to reduce the impact of potential XSS exploitation by restricting script execution sources. 9) Regularly back up WordPress sites and test restoration procedures to recover quickly from any compromise. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on access control, content validation, and layered defenses tailored to the specific vulnerability context.