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CVE-2025-4583: CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') in smub Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed – Easy Social Feeds Plugin

Medium
VulnerabilityCVE-2025-4583cvecve-2025-4583cwe-79
Published: Thu May 29 2025 (05/29/2025, 04:23:08 UTC)
Source: CVE Database V5
Vendor/Project: smub
Product: Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed – Easy Social Feeds Plugin

Description

The Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed – Easy Social Feeds Plugin plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the `data-plugin` attribute in all versions up to, and including, 6.9.0 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. 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

AILast updated: 07/07/2025, 04:55:51 UTC

Technical Analysis

CVE-2025-4583 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting the Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed – Easy Social Feeds Plugin for WordPress, versions up to and including 6.9.0. This vulnerability arises due to improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically insufficient sanitization and escaping of the `data-plugin` attribute. Authenticated users with Contributor-level privileges or higher can exploit this flaw by injecting arbitrary JavaScript code into pages generated by the plugin. When other users access these compromised pages, the injected scripts execute in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.4, reflecting a medium severity level. It requires network access, low attack complexity, and privileges of an authenticated user with Contributor or higher role. User interaction is required for the malicious script to execute (i.e., visiting the infected page). The scope is changed, indicating that the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially compromised component. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild. The root cause is CWE-79, which involves improper input validation and output encoding, a common issue in web applications that handle user-generated content. Since WordPress is widely used for website content management, and this plugin is popular for embedding social photo feeds, the vulnerability presents a significant risk to websites relying on this plugin for social media integration.

Potential Impact

For European organizations, this vulnerability can lead to unauthorized script execution within the context of their websites, potentially compromising the confidentiality and integrity of user data. Attackers could steal session cookies, impersonate users, or perform actions on behalf of users with elevated privileges. This can result in reputational damage, data breaches, and regulatory non-compliance under GDPR if personal data is exposed or manipulated. The vulnerability also risks website defacement or redirection to malicious sites, which can disrupt business operations and erode customer trust. Since the exploit requires authenticated access with Contributor-level privileges, insider threats or compromised accounts pose a significant risk vector. Organizations using WordPress with this plugin are particularly vulnerable, especially those with public-facing websites that handle sensitive user interactions or e-commerce. The medium severity score suggests moderate impact, but the potential for chained attacks or privilege escalation could amplify consequences.

Mitigation Recommendations

European organizations should immediately verify if their WordPress installations use the Smash Balloon Social Photo Feed – Easy Social Feeds Plugin and determine the version in use. Since no patch links are currently provided, organizations should monitor vendor communications for updates or patches addressing CVE-2025-4583. In the interim, restrict Contributor-level and higher privileges to trusted users only, enforce strong authentication mechanisms, and audit user accounts for suspicious activity. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block malicious payloads targeting the `data-plugin` attribute. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts. Regularly scan WordPress sites with security tools to detect injected scripts or anomalous content. Consider disabling or removing the plugin if it is not essential. Educate site administrators and content contributors about the risks of XSS and safe content handling practices. Finally, keep WordPress core and all plugins updated to minimize exposure to known vulnerabilities.

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Technical Details

Data Version
5.1
Assigner Short Name
Wordfence
Date Reserved
2025-05-12T13:21:22.770Z
Cvss Version
3.1
State
PUBLISHED

Threat ID: 6837e2a2182aa0cae26bcd2e

Added to database: 5/29/2025, 4:29:22 AM

Last enriched: 7/7/2025, 4:55:51 AM

Last updated: 8/8/2025, 8:21:21 PM

Views: 18

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