CVE-2025-28977 is a high-severity reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the ThimPress WP Pipes WordPress plugin, affecting versions up to 1.4.3. The 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 HTTP responses, enabling attackers to inject malicious scripts. This reflected XSS can be triggered remotely without authentication (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N), but requires user interaction (UI:R), such as clicking a crafted link. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.1, indicating high severity, with impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:L/I:L/A:L). The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability can affect components beyond the initially vulnerable plugin, potentially impacting the entire WordPress site. Exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript in the context of the victim’s browser, leading to session hijacking, credential theft, defacement, or redirection to malicious sites. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability’s characteristics make it a credible risk, especially given the widespread use of WordPress and its plugins. The lack of available patches at the time of publication increases the urgency for mitigation. The vulnerability was reserved in March 2025 and published in August 2025, indicating recent discovery and disclosure.

For European organizations, this reflected XSS vulnerability poses significant risks, particularly for those relying on WordPress sites with the WP Pipes plugin for content aggregation or data processing. Successful exploitation can compromise user accounts, leak sensitive information, and damage organizational reputation. Given the interconnected nature of European digital services and the GDPR regulatory environment, data breaches resulting from such attacks could lead to substantial legal and financial penalties. Additionally, reflected XSS can be leveraged as a vector for delivering further malware or phishing campaigns targeting European users. Organizations in sectors such as e-commerce, government, education, and media, which often use WordPress extensively, may face increased exposure. The vulnerability’s ability to affect site integrity and availability can disrupt business operations and erode user trust. Moreover, the cross-site nature of the attack could impact users across multiple countries, amplifying the threat’s reach within Europe.

Immediate mitigation steps include disabling or removing the WP Pipes plugin until a security patch is released by ThimPress. Organizations should monitor official vendor channels and security advisories for updates. As a temporary defense, implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block reflected XSS payloads targeting WP Pipes parameters can reduce risk. Input validation and output encoding should be enforced at the application level where possible. Security teams should conduct thorough audits of WordPress installations to identify the presence of WP Pipes and assess exposure. User awareness campaigns can help mitigate risks by educating users about the dangers of clicking suspicious links. Additionally, enabling Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can limit the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers. Regular backups and incident response plans should be reviewed and updated to prepare for potential exploitation. Finally, organizations should consider deploying security plugins that offer XSS protection and monitoring capabilities.