The Image Hotspot by DevVN WordPress plugin, widely used to create interactive image hotspots, contains a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-14445. This vulnerability exists due to improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically through the 'hotspot_content' custom field meta. Versions up to and including 1.2.9 fail to adequately sanitize or escape user-supplied input, allowing authenticated users with author-level permissions or higher to inject arbitrary JavaScript code. When other users access the compromised page, the injected script executes in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or data theft. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.4, indicating medium severity. The attack vector is network-based, with low complexity, requiring privileges (author or above), and no user interaction. The scope is changed as the vulnerability affects other users viewing the injected content. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the risk remains significant due to the common use of WordPress and the plugin in question. The vulnerability primarily impacts confidentiality and integrity, with no direct availability impact. The lack of official patches at the time of reporting necessitates immediate mitigation steps by site administrators.

For European organizations, this vulnerability can lead to unauthorized script execution within the context of trusted websites, risking theft of authentication tokens, user credentials, or sensitive data. Attackers with author-level access could leverage this flaw to escalate privileges or perform actions on behalf of other users, including administrators. This can compromise the integrity of corporate websites, damage brand reputation, and lead to regulatory non-compliance under GDPR if personal data is exposed. Given the widespread adoption of WordPress across Europe, especially in sectors like e-commerce, media, and government, the potential attack surface is substantial. The vulnerability could also be exploited to deliver malware or redirect users to phishing sites, amplifying the threat. The medium severity score reflects a balance between the need for authenticated access and the potential for impactful consequences. Organizations relying on the affected plugin should consider the risk of targeted attacks, especially in countries with high WordPress usage and valuable digital assets.

1. Immediately restrict author-level and higher privileges to trusted users only, minimizing the risk of malicious input injection. 2. Implement strict input validation and output encoding on the 'hotspot_content' field, either via custom code or security plugins that enforce sanitization. 3. Deploy a robust Content Security Policy (CSP) to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts and reduce the impact of XSS attacks. 4. Monitor web server and application logs for unusual activity or unexpected script injections related to the plugin. 5. Consider temporarily disabling the Image Hotspot by DevVN plugin until an official patch or update is released. 6. Educate content authors and administrators about the risks of injecting untrusted content and enforce security best practices. 7. Use Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) configured to detect and block XSS payloads targeting this vulnerability. 8. Regularly update WordPress core, plugins, and themes to incorporate security fixes promptly once available.