CVE-2025-4479 is a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the ElementsKit Elementor Addons and Templates plugin for WordPress, developed by xpeedstudio. This vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 3.5.2. The flaw arises from improper input sanitization and output escaping in the plugin's image comparison widget, specifically in the before/after labels that are user-supplied attributes. An authenticated attacker with contributor-level privileges or higher can exploit this vulnerability by injecting malicious JavaScript code into these labels. Once injected, the malicious script executes in the context of any user who views the compromised page, potentially leading to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or other malicious activities. The vulnerability does not require user interaction beyond page access, and the attack surface is limited to authenticated users with contributor or higher roles, which typically have content editing permissions but not full administrative rights. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.4, reflecting a medium severity level, with attack vector being network-based, low attack complexity, requiring privileges, 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. This vulnerability is categorized under CWE-79, indicating improper neutralization of input during web page generation, a common cause of XSS vulnerabilities in web applications and plugins.

For European organizations, especially those relying on WordPress websites with the ElementsKit Elementor Addons and Templates plugin, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to web application security. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized script execution, enabling attackers to steal session cookies, deface websites, or perform actions on behalf of legitimate users. This can result in data breaches, reputational damage, and potential regulatory non-compliance under GDPR due to unauthorized access to user data. Organizations with contributor-level users, such as content creators or editors, are at risk since these roles can inject malicious payloads. The vulnerability's scope includes any website using the affected plugin versions, which may be prevalent among European SMEs and enterprises utilizing Elementor-based WordPress sites for marketing, e-commerce, or internal portals. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, as attackers may develop exploits once the vulnerability is publicly known. The medium severity rating suggests moderate urgency in remediation, but the potential for scope change and confidentiality impact warrants prompt attention.

1. Immediate mitigation involves restricting contributor-level access to trusted users only, minimizing the risk of malicious script injection. 2. Disable or remove the image comparison widget from the ElementsKit plugin until a patch is available. 3. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious script injection attempts targeting the before/after labels of the image comparison widget. 4. Conduct thorough input validation and output encoding on all user-supplied content, especially in custom implementations or overrides of the plugin's widgets. 5. Monitor website logs for unusual activities or script injection patterns related to the plugin. 6. Stay updated with xpeedstudio announcements and apply patches immediately once released. 7. Educate content contributors about the risks of injecting untrusted content and enforce strict content submission guidelines. 8. Consider employing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts on affected web pages. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on access control, widget-specific mitigation, and proactive monitoring tailored to the vulnerability's characteristics.