CVE-2025-2576 identifies a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the WordPress plugin 'Ayyash Studio — The kick-start kit' developed by themerox. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-79, which involves improper neutralization of input during web page generation. The issue specifically stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping of SVG file uploads. Authenticated users with Author-level access or higher can upload malicious SVG files containing embedded JavaScript code. When these SVG files are rendered or accessed by other users, the embedded scripts execute in their browsers, potentially compromising session tokens, cookies, or enabling unauthorized actions within the WordPress site context. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.0.3 of the plugin. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.4, reflecting a medium severity with the vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N, meaning the attack is network-based, requires low attack complexity, privileges of Author-level, no user interaction, and impacts confidentiality and integrity with a scope change. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the common use of WordPress and the plugin in question. The vulnerability was published on March 26, 2025, and no official patches have been linked yet, emphasizing the need for immediate mitigation.

The impact of CVE-2025-2576 is primarily on the confidentiality and integrity of affected WordPress sites using the vulnerable plugin. Successful exploitation allows an attacker with Author-level privileges to inject persistent malicious scripts that execute in the browsers of site visitors or administrators. This can lead to session hijacking, theft of sensitive information, unauthorized actions such as content manipulation, or further compromise of the site. Although availability is not directly affected, the breach of trust and potential data leakage can have severe reputational and operational consequences. Organizations relying on this plugin, especially those with multiple users or public-facing sites, face increased risk of targeted attacks or automated exploitation once public proof-of-concept exploits emerge. The requirement for authenticated access limits the attack surface but does not eliminate risk, as Author-level accounts are common in collaborative environments. The scope change in the CVSS vector indicates that the vulnerability can affect resources beyond the initially compromised component, potentially impacting the entire WordPress installation and its users.

To mitigate CVE-2025-2576, organizations should first verify if they are using the 'Ayyash Studio — The kick-start kit' plugin and identify the version in use. Immediate steps include: 1) Restricting Author-level and higher privileges to trusted users only, minimizing the risk of malicious SVG uploads. 2) Temporarily disabling SVG file uploads or the plugin itself until a security patch is released. 3) Implementing server-side input validation and sanitization for SVG files, using libraries that can safely parse and clean SVG content to remove embedded scripts. 4) Applying Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict script execution sources, reducing the impact of injected scripts. 5) Monitoring web server logs and WordPress activity for unusual SVG uploads or suspicious user behavior. 6) Educating site administrators and users about the risks of uploading untrusted SVG files. 7) Once available, promptly applying official patches or updates from the plugin vendor. 8) Considering the use of Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block XSS payloads in SVG uploads. These measures combined will reduce the likelihood and impact of exploitation.