CVE-2025-2685 identifies a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the popular WordPress plugin TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy, maintained by tobiasbg. The flaw exists in all versions up to and including 3.0.4 and stems from improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically insufficient sanitization and escaping of the 'table-name' parameter. Authenticated users with Author-level or higher privileges can inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the table name field. Because this input is stored and later rendered on pages without proper output encoding, the malicious script executes in the context of any user who views the affected page. This can lead to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the victim user. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.4, reflecting medium severity, with attack vector network-based, low attack complexity, requiring privileges (Author or above), no user interaction, and scope changed due to impact on other components. No public exploits are currently known. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality and integrity of user data but does not impact availability. The flaw is typical of CWE-79, a common web application security issue. Since TablePress is widely used in WordPress sites globally, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to website security if left unpatched.

The primary impact of CVE-2025-2685 is on the confidentiality and integrity of WordPress sites using the TablePress plugin. Successful exploitation allows authenticated attackers to inject persistent malicious scripts that execute in the browsers of users visiting the compromised pages. This can lead to theft of session cookies, enabling account takeover, unauthorized actions performed with victim user privileges, or delivery of further malware. Since the attacker must have Author-level access, the risk is elevated in environments where multiple users have such privileges or where accounts are weakly protected. The vulnerability does not affect availability directly but can undermine trust in affected websites and lead to reputational damage. Organizations relying on TablePress for content management or data presentation on WordPress sites face risks of data leakage, unauthorized content manipulation, and potential compliance violations. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk, but the medium CVSS score and ease of exploitation with valid credentials make timely remediation critical.

To mitigate CVE-2025-2685, organizations should immediately update the TablePress plugin to a version that addresses this vulnerability once available. In the absence of an official patch, administrators can implement the following measures: restrict Author-level privileges strictly to trusted users; enforce strong authentication and multi-factor authentication to reduce account compromise risk; apply Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious input patterns targeting the 'table-name' parameter; sanitize and escape user inputs manually if custom modifications to the plugin exist; monitor logs for unusual activity related to table name changes; educate users about phishing and credential security to prevent unauthorized access; and consider temporarily disabling the plugin if feasible until a patch is released. Regular security audits and vulnerability scanning of WordPress environments can help detect exploitation attempts early.