CVE-2025-14797 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the 'Same Category Posts' WordPress plugin developed by kometschuh. This plugin, widely used to display related posts within the same category, improperly processes taxonomy term names by applying htmlspecialchars_decode() before outputting them in widget titles. WordPress normally encodes HTML entities to prevent script injection, but this decoding step reverses that protection, allowing malicious HTML or JavaScript code to be stored and rendered. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.1.19. An attacker with Author-level privileges or higher can exploit this by injecting arbitrary scripts into the widget title placeholder, which are then stored persistently and executed in the browsers of any users who visit the affected pages. The attack requires authentication and user interaction (visiting the page), but no complex conditions beyond Author access. The CVSS 3.1 score of 5.4 reflects a medium severity, with network attack vector, low attack complexity, and partial impact on confidentiality and integrity, but no impact on availability. No public exploits are currently known. The vulnerability stems from a CWE-79 weakness, highlighting improper neutralization of input during web page generation. This flaw could lead to session hijacking, defacement, or unauthorized actions performed in the context of affected users. The issue underscores the importance of adhering to secure output encoding practices and limiting user privileges in content management systems.

For European organizations, this vulnerability can lead to unauthorized script execution within WordPress sites using the Same Category Posts plugin. The primary impact is on confidentiality and integrity, as attackers can steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of users, or manipulate displayed content. This is particularly concerning for organizations relying on WordPress for public-facing websites, intranets, or collaborative platforms where multiple users have Author-level access or higher. Exploitation could facilitate targeted attacks such as phishing, defacement, or lateral movement within an organization's web infrastructure. Although availability is not directly affected, reputational damage and loss of user trust could result from successful exploitation. Given the widespread use of WordPress across Europe, especially in sectors like media, education, and small-to-medium enterprises, the risk is non-trivial. The requirement for authenticated access limits exposure but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments with weak access controls or compromised user credentials.

1. Immediately restrict Author-level and higher privileges to trusted users only, minimizing the attack surface. 2. Monitor and audit widget titles and taxonomy term inputs for suspicious or unexpected HTML/JavaScript content. 3. Apply strict input validation and output encoding in custom code or overrides related to taxonomy term rendering. 4. Disable or remove the Same Category Posts plugin if not essential until a secure patch or update is released by the vendor. 5. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block common XSS payloads targeting widget titles. 6. Educate content authors on safe content practices and the risks of injecting HTML or scripts. 7. Regularly update WordPress core and plugins to incorporate security fixes promptly. 8. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict script execution sources and mitigate impact of injected scripts. 9. Conduct periodic security assessments focusing on user privilege management and plugin vulnerabilities. 10. Prepare incident response plans to quickly address any exploitation attempts involving this vulnerability.