CVE-2025-4221 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting the Animated Buttons WordPress plugin developed by baswaniyash. This vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 1.0.0 of the plugin. The root cause is insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user-supplied attributes within the plugin's 'auto-downloader' shortcode. Specifically, authenticated users with contributor-level privileges or higher can inject arbitrary JavaScript code into pages via this shortcode. When other users access these compromised pages, the injected scripts execute in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or other malicious activities. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79, indicating improper neutralization of input during web page generation. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.4, reflecting a medium severity level, with an attack vector of network (remote exploitation), low attack complexity, requiring privileges (contributor or above), no user interaction, and a scope change. The impact affects confidentiality and integrity but not availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability was published on May 21, 2025, with the reservation date on May 2, 2025. Given that WordPress is widely used across Europe and the plugin is publicly available, this vulnerability poses a tangible risk to websites using this plugin, especially those allowing contributor-level access to multiple users.

For European organizations, this vulnerability can lead to significant risks, especially for businesses and institutions relying on WordPress sites with multiple content contributors. Exploitation could allow attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of the affected website, potentially stealing session cookies, redirecting users to phishing sites, or performing unauthorized actions on behalf of legitimate users. This can damage brand reputation, lead to data breaches involving personal data protected under GDPR, and cause regulatory and financial repercussions. The scope change in the CVSS vector indicates that the vulnerability could affect resources beyond the initially vulnerable component, increasing the potential impact. Organizations with contributor-level user roles on their WordPress sites are particularly at risk. Since the vulnerability does not require user interaction, automated exploitation attempts could be feasible once exploit code becomes available. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate it, as attackers often develop exploits rapidly after disclosure. The medium severity suggests a moderate but actionable threat that should be addressed promptly to avoid escalation.

1. Immediate mitigation should involve restricting contributor-level access to trusted users only, minimizing the attack surface. 2. Administrators should audit all existing content created via the 'auto-downloader' shortcode for suspicious or unexpected scripts and remove any malicious injections. 3. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious payloads targeting the shortcode parameters. 4. Monitor logs for unusual activities related to shortcode usage or contributor actions. 5. Until an official patch is released, consider disabling or removing the Animated Buttons plugin if it is not critical to site functionality. 6. Educate content contributors about safe content practices and the risks of injecting untrusted code. 7. Once a patch is available, apply it immediately and verify the fix by testing the shortcode input handling. 8. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts on the website. 9. Regularly update WordPress core and all plugins to reduce exposure to known vulnerabilities.