CVE-2025-14385 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting vulnerability identified in the WP Recipe Maker plugin for WordPress, a widely used tool for managing and displaying recipes on websites. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping of the 'name' parameter within the wprm-recipe-roundup-item shortcode. This flaw allows an authenticated attacker with Contributor-level privileges or higher to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into pages generated by the plugin. When other users visit these pages, the malicious scripts execute in their browsers, potentially compromising session tokens, redirecting users, or performing actions on behalf of the victim. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 10.2.3. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.4, reflecting a medium severity with network attack vector, low attack complexity, requiring privileges but no user interaction, and impacting confidentiality and integrity with a scope change. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability's presence in a popular WordPress plugin increases the risk of future exploitation. The issue stems from improper neutralization of input during web page generation, classified under CWE-79. The vulnerability highlights the importance of rigorous input validation and output encoding in web applications, especially those allowing user-generated content. Since WordPress powers a significant portion of European websites, and WP Recipe Maker is popular among food bloggers and recipe sites, this vulnerability could be leveraged for targeted attacks or widespread exploitation if left unpatched.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-14385 can be significant, particularly for those operating content-rich websites such as food blogs, recipe portals, or community-driven platforms using WP Recipe Maker. Successful exploitation can lead to session hijacking, unauthorized actions performed on behalf of users, theft of sensitive information, and reputational damage due to defacement or malicious redirects. The vulnerability requires authenticated access at Contributor level or above, which means insider threats or compromised accounts can be leveraged to inject malicious scripts. Given the widespread use of WordPress in Europe and the popularity of the WP Recipe Maker plugin, many small to medium enterprises, bloggers, and even larger content platforms could be affected. The compromise of user trust and potential data leakage could also have regulatory implications under GDPR, especially if personal data is exposed or manipulated. Additionally, the cross-site scripting vulnerability could be used as a pivot point for further attacks within the network or to distribute malware to visitors. The medium CVSS score reflects moderate risk, but the scope change and potential for widespread impact on confidentiality and integrity elevate the concern for European organizations reliant on these platforms.

To mitigate CVE-2025-14385, European organizations should prioritize the following actions: 1) Monitor for and apply updates to the WP Recipe Maker plugin as soon as a security patch is released by the vendor. 2) Until a patch is available, restrict Contributor-level access to trusted users only and audit existing user privileges to minimize risk. 3) Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious input patterns targeting the 'name' parameter in the wprm-recipe-roundup-item shortcode. 4) Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts on affected pages. 5) Conduct regular security reviews and penetration testing focused on user input handling in WordPress plugins. 6) Educate content contributors about the risks of injecting untrusted content and enforce strict content moderation policies. 7) Consider temporarily disabling or replacing the WP Recipe Maker plugin with alternative solutions if immediate patching is not feasible. 8) Use security plugins that provide input sanitization and output encoding enhancements to reduce the risk of XSS. These measures, combined, will reduce the attack surface and limit the potential for exploitation until a vendor patch is available.