CVE-2025-24676 is a high-severity reflected Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the Custom WP Store Locator plugin developed by umangmetatagg for WordPress. This vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of input during web page generation, classified under CWE-79. Specifically, the plugin fails to adequately sanitize or encode user-supplied input before reflecting it back in the web page, enabling attackers to inject malicious scripts. The affected versions include all versions up to and including 1.4.7. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.1, indicating a high risk. The vector metrics show that the attack can be executed remotely (AV:N) with low attack complexity (AC:L), requires no privileges (PR:N), but does require user interaction (UI:R). The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability affects components beyond the vulnerable plugin itself, potentially impacting the entire WordPress site. The impact includes low confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts individually, but combined they can lead to significant security issues such as session hijacking, defacement, or redirection to malicious sites. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability was published on February 3, 2025, and is tracked by Patchstack and CISA enrichment. Given the widespread use of WordPress and the popularity of store locator plugins for e-commerce and business websites, this vulnerability poses a notable risk to sites using this plugin without proper input validation or output encoding mechanisms.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for those relying on WordPress-based e-commerce platforms, retail chains, or service providers that use the Custom WP Store Locator plugin to display store locations. Exploitation of this reflected XSS flaw can lead to theft of user credentials, session tokens, or other sensitive information, enabling attackers to impersonate legitimate users or administrators. This can result in unauthorized access, data breaches, or manipulation of website content, damaging brand reputation and customer trust. Additionally, attackers could use the vulnerability to deliver malware or conduct phishing attacks targeting European customers, potentially violating GDPR requirements for data protection and leading to regulatory penalties. The reflected nature of the XSS means that attackers must entice users to click on crafted URLs, which is feasible through phishing campaigns. The changed scope (S:C) indicates that the vulnerability could affect other components or plugins interacting with the store locator, increasing the risk of broader compromise. Given the high reliance on digital presence in Europe’s retail and service sectors, this vulnerability could disrupt business operations and customer engagement.

European organizations should take immediate steps to mitigate this vulnerability. First, they should monitor the umangmetatagg plugin repository and official channels for patches or updates addressing CVE-2025-24676 and apply them promptly once available. Until a patch is released, organizations should implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block reflected XSS attack patterns targeting the store locator plugin’s endpoints. Input validation and output encoding should be enforced at the application level; developers can implement custom filters to sanitize user inputs and encode outputs to prevent script injection. Organizations should also conduct thorough security testing, including automated scanning and manual penetration testing focused on the store locator functionality. User awareness campaigns to educate employees and customers about phishing risks can reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation requiring user interaction. Additionally, restricting the plugin’s usage to trusted user roles and limiting exposure of vulnerable endpoints through network segmentation or access controls can reduce attack surface. Logging and monitoring for suspicious activities related to the plugin should be enhanced to enable rapid detection and response.