CVE-2025-14278 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability classified under CWE-79 found in the HT Slider for Elementor plugin for WordPress. The vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically through the 'slide_title' parameter. This parameter is insufficiently sanitized and escaped in JavaScript contexts, allowing authenticated users with Contributor-level permissions or higher to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into slider titles. Because the malicious script is stored persistently in the plugin's data and rendered on pages viewed by other users, it can execute in the context of any user visiting the affected page. This can lead to theft of session cookies, unauthorized actions performed on behalf of users, or defacement of website content. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.7.4. Exploitation requires authentication but no user interaction beyond viewing the compromised page. The CVSS v3.1 score is 6.4, reflecting a medium severity with network attack vector, low attack complexity, and privileges required. No public exploits are known at this time, but the vulnerability poses a significant risk to WordPress sites using this plugin, especially those with multiple contributors or editors. The lack of a patch link indicates that a fix may not yet be available, emphasizing the need for immediate mitigation steps.

For European organizations, this vulnerability can lead to unauthorized script execution on their WordPress sites, potentially compromising user sessions, stealing sensitive information, or enabling further attacks such as privilege escalation or phishing. Organizations relying on the HT Slider for Elementor plugin for marketing, e-commerce, or internal portals may face reputational damage, data breaches, or service disruptions. Since the attack requires authenticated access with Contributor-level permissions, insider threats or compromised contributor accounts could be leveraged. The persistent nature of stored XSS means that once exploited, the malicious code can affect all visitors to the site, amplifying the impact. Given the widespread use of WordPress in Europe and the popularity of Elementor-based plugins, this vulnerability could affect a broad range of sectors including government, finance, education, and retail. The medium severity score indicates a moderate but actionable risk that should be addressed promptly to prevent exploitation.

1. Monitor for official patches or updates from htplugins and apply them immediately once available. 2. Until a patch is released, restrict Contributor-level access to trusted users only and review existing user permissions to minimize risk. 3. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious input patterns targeting the 'slide_title' parameter. 4. Employ manual input validation and output encoding on the 'slide_title' field if custom development is possible, ensuring all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before rendering. 5. Conduct regular security audits and code reviews of WordPress plugins and themes to identify similar vulnerabilities. 6. Educate content contributors about the risks of injecting untrusted content and enforce strict content policies. 7. Monitor website logs for unusual activity or signs of XSS exploitation attempts. 8. Consider deploying Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict script execution sources and mitigate impact of injected scripts.