CVE-2025-14797 is a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability identified in the Same Category Posts plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 1.1.19. The root cause is the plugin's use of the PHP function htmlspecialchars_decode() on taxonomy term names before outputting them in the widget title placeholder. WordPress normally encodes HTML entities in taxonomy terms to prevent script injection, but this decoding step reverses that protection, allowing malicious HTML or JavaScript code to be stored and later executed in users' browsers. The vulnerability requires an attacker to have authenticated Author-level or higher privileges, enabling them to inject arbitrary scripts into pages via widget titles. When other users visit these pages, the injected scripts execute in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or data theft. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality and integrity but does not affect availability. Exploitation requires user interaction (visiting the injected page) and privileges to post content. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.4, reflecting medium severity, with attack vector network, low attack complexity, privileges required, user interaction needed, and scope changed due to cross-user impact. No public exploits have been reported yet. The vulnerability was reserved in December 2025 and published in January 2026. Mitigation involves patching the plugin once available or applying strict input validation and output encoding to prevent script injection. Limiting Author-level privileges and monitoring for suspicious widget titles can reduce risk.

This vulnerability allows authenticated users with Author-level access or higher to inject malicious JavaScript into widget titles, which are then stored and executed in the browsers of any users viewing the affected pages. This can lead to theft of session cookies, user impersonation, unauthorized actions on behalf of users, and potential compromise of sensitive information. While it does not directly impact system availability, the breach of confidentiality and integrity can undermine trust and lead to further exploitation. Organizations running WordPress sites with this plugin are at risk of targeted attacks, especially if they have multiple authors contributing content. The scope includes all visitors to the compromised pages, potentially affecting a broad user base. Since exploitation requires authenticated access, insider threats or compromised author accounts pose the greatest risk. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate it, as attackers may develop exploits. The medium CVSS score reflects moderate impact and exploitability, but the potential for chained attacks or privilege escalation increases overall risk.

1. Immediately update the Same Category Posts plugin to a patched version once released by the vendor. 2. Until a patch is available, disable or remove the plugin to eliminate the attack surface. 3. Implement strict input validation and sanitization on taxonomy term names and widget titles, ensuring no HTML or JavaScript can be injected. 4. Use WordPress's native escaping functions (e.g., esc_html()) on all output to prevent script execution. 5. Limit the number of users with Author-level or higher privileges; review and reduce privileges where possible. 6. Monitor widget titles and taxonomy terms for suspicious or unexpected HTML content. 7. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block XSS payloads targeting widget titles. 8. Educate content authors about safe content practices and the risks of injecting untrusted code. 9. Regularly audit WordPress plugins for vulnerabilities and maintain an up-to-date inventory. 10. Consider implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to reduce the impact of XSS attacks.