CVE-2025-13962 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the Divelogs Widget plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 1.5. The vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of user-supplied input in the 'latestdive' shortcode, where insufficient sanitization and output escaping allow authenticated users with contributor-level privileges or higher to inject arbitrary JavaScript code. This malicious code is stored persistently and executed in the browsers of any users who visit the compromised pages, enabling attackers to perform actions such as session hijacking, defacement, or delivering further client-side attacks. The vulnerability does not require user interaction beyond page access and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.4, reflecting medium severity. The attack vector is network-based with low attack complexity, requiring privileges equivalent to contributor-level access but no user interaction. The scope is changed because the vulnerability affects other users viewing the injected content. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild. The root cause is the lack of proper input validation and output encoding in the plugin's shortcode processing logic, which is a common weakness categorized under CWE-79. This vulnerability is particularly relevant for WordPress sites that use the Divelogs Widget plugin, often related to diving or recreational sports communities, where multiple users have content contribution privileges.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk primarily to websites running WordPress with the Divelogs Widget plugin installed. The impact includes potential compromise of user sessions, unauthorized actions performed on behalf of users, and reputational damage due to defacement or malicious content delivery. Organizations that allow contributor-level access to multiple users increase the attack surface. Since the vulnerability enables persistent XSS, it can be exploited to steal cookies, perform phishing attacks, or escalate privileges within the web application context. This can lead to data leakage or unauthorized access to sensitive information. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk, but the presence of this vulnerability in publicly accessible websites makes it a target for opportunistic attackers. European organizations involved in recreational diving, tourism, or related communities using this plugin are particularly exposed. Additionally, the vulnerability could be leveraged as a foothold for more complex attacks in multi-tenant or shared hosting environments common in Europe.

1. Monitor the plugin vendor's announcements and apply official patches immediately once available to address the vulnerability. 2. Until a patch is released, restrict contributor-level access to trusted users only and review user permissions to minimize risk. 3. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block malicious payloads targeting the 'latestdive' shortcode parameters. 4. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts on affected pages. 5. Conduct manual or automated code reviews to identify and sanitize all user inputs in the shortcode processing logic. 6. Use security plugins that can detect and prevent XSS attacks on WordPress sites. 7. Educate content contributors about safe input practices and the risks of injecting untrusted content. 8. Regularly audit WordPress plugins and remove or replace those that are outdated or unsupported. 9. Consider disabling the 'latestdive' shortcode temporarily if it is not essential to site functionality. 10. Maintain comprehensive backups to enable quick recovery in case of compromise.