CVE-2025-14745 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the WordPress plugin 'RSS Aggregator – RSS Import, News Feeds, Feed to Post, and Autoblogging' developed by rebelcode. The vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 5.0.10 due to improper neutralization of input during web page generation (CWE-79). Specifically, the plugin fails to adequately sanitize and escape user-supplied attributes passed through the 'wp-rss-aggregator' shortcode. This flaw allows authenticated attackers with contributor-level access or higher to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into pages generated by the plugin. When other users access these pages, the injected scripts execute 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, reflecting medium severity, with an attack vector of network (remote), low attack complexity, requiring privileges (PR:L), no user interaction, and a scope change. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability's presence in a widely used WordPress plugin makes it a significant risk. The lack of a patch link indicates that a fix may not yet be publicly available, emphasizing the need for interim mitigations. The vulnerability's exploitation requires authenticated access, which limits exposure but still poses a threat in environments where contributor accounts are common or compromised. The stored nature of the XSS increases risk since the malicious payload persists and affects multiple users. This vulnerability highlights the importance of rigorous input validation and output encoding in WordPress plugins, especially those handling user-generated content or shortcodes.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk primarily to websites running WordPress with the affected RSS Aggregator plugin installed. Successful exploitation can lead to session hijacking, unauthorized actions performed on behalf of users, defacement of web pages, and potential data leakage. Since the attack requires contributor-level authentication, organizations with lax access controls or many contributors are at higher risk. The persistent nature of the stored XSS means multiple users can be affected once the malicious script is injected. This can undermine user trust, damage brand reputation, and potentially lead to compliance issues under GDPR if personal data is compromised. Additionally, attackers could leverage this vulnerability as a foothold for further attacks within the network. The impact is particularly relevant for media, publishing, and content-heavy organizations that rely on RSS feeds and user-generated content. Given the widespread use of WordPress across Europe, the vulnerability could affect a broad range of sectors including government, education, and commerce. However, the requirement for authenticated access somewhat limits the attack surface compared to unauthenticated XSS flaws.

1. Monitor for and apply official patches or updates from rebelcode as soon as they become available to remediate the vulnerability. 2. In the interim, restrict contributor-level access to trusted users only and review existing contributor accounts for suspicious activity. 3. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block malicious script injections targeting the 'wp-rss-aggregator' shortcode parameters. 4. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers. 5. Conduct regular security audits of WordPress plugins and themes to identify and mitigate similar input validation issues. 6. Educate content contributors about safe content submission practices and the risks of injecting untrusted code. 7. Consider disabling or replacing the vulnerable plugin with alternatives that follow secure coding practices if immediate patching is not feasible. 8. Use security plugins that provide additional input sanitization and output escaping layers. 9. Monitor logs and user activity for signs of exploitation attempts or unusual behavior related to the plugin. 10. Ensure backups are current and tested to enable recovery in case of successful exploitation.