CVE-2025-14657 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) affecting the Eventin – Event Manager, Event Booking, Calendar, Tickets and Registration plugin for WordPress, developed by arraytics. The flaw exists in all versions up to and including 4.0.51, where the 'post_settings' function lacks proper capability checks, allowing unauthenticated attackers to modify plugin settings without authorization. This missing authorization check means that anyone, without logging in, can alter critical plugin configurations, potentially disrupting event management workflows or injecting malicious configurations. Furthermore, the vulnerability includes an insufficient input sanitization and output escaping issue on the 'etn_primary_color' setting. This enables attackers to inject arbitrary JavaScript code that executes in the context of any user visiting pages where Eventin styles are loaded, constituting a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) attack. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.2 (high), reflecting network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction, and a scope change with partial confidentiality and integrity impacts but no availability impact. No known public exploits have been reported yet. The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized data modification and client-side script execution, which can be leveraged for session hijacking, defacement, or further attacks on site visitors. The plugin is widely used in WordPress sites for event management, making the attack surface significant.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to websites relying on the Eventin plugin for event management, ticketing, and registrations. Unauthorized modification of plugin settings can disrupt event operations, cause misinformation, or enable further malicious configurations. The XSS component can compromise the confidentiality of user data, including session tokens and personal information, by executing arbitrary scripts in visitors' browsers. This can lead to credential theft, phishing, or malware distribution. Organizations in sectors such as education, entertainment, conferences, and public services that use this plugin for event management are particularly vulnerable. The attack requires no authentication or user interaction, increasing the likelihood of exploitation. This can damage organizational reputation, lead to regulatory non-compliance under GDPR due to data breaches, and cause operational disruptions. The lack of a patch at the time of disclosure increases exposure duration. Given the widespread use of WordPress in Europe and the popularity of event management plugins, the impact could be broad, affecting both public-facing and internal event sites.

Immediate mitigation steps include monitoring for plugin updates from arraytics and applying patches as soon as they are released. Until a patch is available, administrators should restrict access to the WordPress admin interface and plugin settings via web application firewalls (WAFs) or IP whitelisting to prevent unauthorized access to the 'post_settings' function. Implementing strict Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can help mitigate the impact of XSS by restricting script execution sources. Additionally, manual code review and temporary hardening of the plugin code to add capability checks on the 'post_settings' function and sanitize the 'etn_primary_color' input can reduce risk. Regularly audit plugin settings and website content for unauthorized changes or injected scripts. Employ security plugins that detect and block XSS attempts and unauthorized configuration changes. Educate site administrators about the risk and signs of exploitation. Finally, consider isolating event management functionalities on separate subdomains or environments to limit the blast radius of any compromise.