CVE-2025-4216: CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') in scada DIOT SCADA with MQTT
The DIOT SCADA with MQTT plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the plugin's 'diot' shortcode in all versions up to, and including, 1.0.5.1 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user supplied attributes. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with contributor-level access and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
CVE-2025-4216 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting the DIOT SCADA with MQTT plugin for WordPress, specifically versions up to and including 1.0.5.1. This vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of input during web page generation, classified under CWE-79. The root cause is insufficient input sanitization and output escaping of user-supplied attributes within the plugin's 'diot' shortcode. An authenticated attacker with contributor-level privileges or higher can exploit this flaw by injecting arbitrary malicious scripts into pages generated by the plugin. These scripts are then stored persistently and executed in the browsers of any users who access the compromised pages, potentially leading to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the victim. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.4, indicating a medium severity level. The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires low attack complexity (AC:L), and privileges at the level of a contributor (PR:L). No user interaction is needed for the exploit to succeed once the malicious script is injected, and the scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability affects resources beyond the vulnerable component. Confidentiality and integrity impacts are low, while availability is not affected. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been published at the time of analysis. The vulnerability affects all versions of the plugin up to 1.0.5.1, which is used in WordPress environments integrating SCADA systems with MQTT messaging, typically for industrial control and monitoring purposes.
Potential Impact
For European organizations, especially those operating critical infrastructure or industrial control systems (ICS) that utilize WordPress-based SCADA interfaces with MQTT integration, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of legitimate users, potentially leading to theft of authentication tokens, unauthorized command execution, or manipulation of displayed data. This could undermine the integrity of monitoring dashboards or control panels, causing operational disruptions or erroneous decision-making. Although the vulnerability requires contributor-level access, insider threats or compromised accounts could facilitate exploitation. The medium severity rating reflects moderate risk; however, given the strategic importance of SCADA systems in sectors like energy, manufacturing, and utilities across Europe, even limited integrity breaches can have outsized consequences. Additionally, the stored nature of the XSS means that multiple users could be affected over time, increasing the attack surface. The lack of known exploits in the wild suggests limited current active threat but does not preclude future exploitation, especially as awareness of the vulnerability spreads.
Mitigation Recommendations
1. Immediate mitigation should include restricting contributor-level access strictly to trusted personnel and enforcing strong authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the risk of account compromise. 2. Implement rigorous input validation and output encoding on all user-supplied data within the 'diot' shortcode, ideally by updating or patching the plugin once an official fix is released. Until then, consider disabling or removing the plugin if feasible. 3. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block typical XSS payloads targeting the affected shortcode parameters. 4. Conduct regular security audits and code reviews of custom WordPress plugins, especially those interfacing with critical infrastructure, to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities proactively. 5. Monitor logs for unusual contributor activity or unexpected content changes in pages using the 'diot' shortcode. 6. Educate users about the risks of XSS and encourage reporting of suspicious behavior. 7. Segregate SCADA web interfaces from general-purpose WordPress sites to limit exposure. 8. Use Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts in affected web pages, mitigating the impact of stored XSS.
Affected Countries
Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Sweden, Finland
CVE-2025-4216: CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') in scada DIOT SCADA with MQTT
Description
The DIOT SCADA with MQTT plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the plugin's 'diot' shortcode in all versions up to, and including, 1.0.5.1 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user supplied attributes. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with contributor-level access and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page.
AI-Powered Analysis
Technical Analysis
CVE-2025-4216 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting the DIOT SCADA with MQTT plugin for WordPress, specifically versions up to and including 1.0.5.1. This vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of input during web page generation, classified under CWE-79. The root cause is insufficient input sanitization and output escaping of user-supplied attributes within the plugin's 'diot' shortcode. An authenticated attacker with contributor-level privileges or higher can exploit this flaw by injecting arbitrary malicious scripts into pages generated by the plugin. These scripts are then stored persistently and executed in the browsers of any users who access the compromised pages, potentially leading to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the victim. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.4, indicating a medium severity level. The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires low attack complexity (AC:L), and privileges at the level of a contributor (PR:L). No user interaction is needed for the exploit to succeed once the malicious script is injected, and the scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability affects resources beyond the vulnerable component. Confidentiality and integrity impacts are low, while availability is not affected. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been published at the time of analysis. The vulnerability affects all versions of the plugin up to 1.0.5.1, which is used in WordPress environments integrating SCADA systems with MQTT messaging, typically for industrial control and monitoring purposes.
Potential Impact
For European organizations, especially those operating critical infrastructure or industrial control systems (ICS) that utilize WordPress-based SCADA interfaces with MQTT integration, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of legitimate users, potentially leading to theft of authentication tokens, unauthorized command execution, or manipulation of displayed data. This could undermine the integrity of monitoring dashboards or control panels, causing operational disruptions or erroneous decision-making. Although the vulnerability requires contributor-level access, insider threats or compromised accounts could facilitate exploitation. The medium severity rating reflects moderate risk; however, given the strategic importance of SCADA systems in sectors like energy, manufacturing, and utilities across Europe, even limited integrity breaches can have outsized consequences. Additionally, the stored nature of the XSS means that multiple users could be affected over time, increasing the attack surface. The lack of known exploits in the wild suggests limited current active threat but does not preclude future exploitation, especially as awareness of the vulnerability spreads.
Mitigation Recommendations
1. Immediate mitigation should include restricting contributor-level access strictly to trusted personnel and enforcing strong authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the risk of account compromise. 2. Implement rigorous input validation and output encoding on all user-supplied data within the 'diot' shortcode, ideally by updating or patching the plugin once an official fix is released. Until then, consider disabling or removing the plugin if feasible. 3. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block typical XSS payloads targeting the affected shortcode parameters. 4. Conduct regular security audits and code reviews of custom WordPress plugins, especially those interfacing with critical infrastructure, to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities proactively. 5. Monitor logs for unusual contributor activity or unexpected content changes in pages using the 'diot' shortcode. 6. Educate users about the risks of XSS and encourage reporting of suspicious behavior. 7. Segregate SCADA web interfaces from general-purpose WordPress sites to limit exposure. 8. Use Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts in affected web pages, mitigating the impact of stored XSS.
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Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.1
- Assigner Short Name
- Wordfence
- Date Reserved
- 2025-05-02T12:53:43.180Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
Threat ID: 684d3416a8c9212743818aeb
Added to database: 6/14/2025, 8:34:30 AM
Last enriched: 6/14/2025, 8:51:49 AM
Last updated: 7/30/2025, 4:17:42 PM
Views: 12
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