CVE-2025-2839 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting the WP Import Export Lite plugin for WordPress, developed by vjinfotech. This vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 3.9.27. The root cause is improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically within the 'wpiePreviewData' function. Insufficient input sanitization and output escaping allow authenticated users with Contributor-level access or higher to inject arbitrary malicious scripts into pages. These scripts are stored persistently and executed whenever any user accesses the compromised page, potentially leading to session hijacking, privilege escalation, defacement, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability requires authentication at a Contributor level or above, which means that attackers must have some level of access to the WordPress backend but do not need administrative privileges. There are no known exploits in the wild as of the publication date (April 22, 2025), and no official patches have been released yet. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79, indicating improper neutralization of input during web page generation, a common vector for XSS attacks. Given the widespread use of WordPress and the popularity of the WP Import Export Lite plugin for data migration and management, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to websites relying on this plugin for content import/export operations. Attackers exploiting this flaw can compromise the integrity and confidentiality of user data and potentially disrupt website availability through malicious script execution.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be substantial, especially for those relying on WordPress websites with the WP Import Export Lite plugin installed. Stored XSS can lead to theft of user credentials, session tokens, and other sensitive information, undermining confidentiality. Integrity can be compromised by unauthorized content manipulation or injection of malicious payloads. Availability may be affected if attackers deploy scripts that cause denial-of-service conditions or redirect users to phishing or malware sites. Organizations in sectors such as e-commerce, government, healthcare, and finance, which often use WordPress for public-facing portals, are at higher risk due to the potential exposure of sensitive personal and financial data. Additionally, the requirement for only Contributor-level access to exploit the vulnerability lowers the barrier for insider threats or compromised accounts to launch attacks. This could facilitate lateral movement within the organization’s web infrastructure. The lack of a patch increases the window of exposure, and the absence of known exploits does not preclude the possibility of future attacks. Furthermore, compliance with GDPR and other data protection regulations means that exploitation leading to data breaches could result in significant legal and financial consequences for European entities.

1. Immediate mitigation should include restricting Contributor-level access to trusted users only and auditing existing user roles to minimize unnecessary privileges. 2. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules specifically targeting suspicious input patterns related to the 'wpiePreviewData' function to block malicious payloads before they reach the application. 3. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts on affected pages, reducing the impact of stored XSS. 4. Regularly monitor and audit WordPress logs and user activities to detect unusual behaviors indicative of exploitation attempts. 5. Consider temporarily disabling or removing the WP Import Export Lite plugin until an official patch is released. 6. Educate site administrators and content contributors about the risks of XSS and safe content handling practices. 7. Use security plugins that provide enhanced input sanitization and output escaping as an additional layer of defense. 8. Prepare an incident response plan to quickly address potential compromises resulting from this vulnerability. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on access control, proactive detection, and layered defenses tailored to the specific plugin and vulnerability vector.