CVE-2025-46451 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the Floating Social Bar plugin developed by Syed Balkhi. This plugin is commonly used to add floating social media sharing buttons to websites, enhancing user engagement and content sharing. The vulnerability arises due to improper neutralization of input during web page generation (CWE-79), allowing malicious actors to inject and store arbitrary JavaScript code within the plugin's data handling processes. When a victim visits a compromised page, the malicious script executes in their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, defacement, or redirection to malicious sites. The affected versions include all versions up to 1.1.7, with no specific versions excluded. No official patches or updates have been released at the time of this report, and no known exploits are currently observed in the wild. The vulnerability does not require user authentication to exploit, and the attack vector involves stored XSS, which is more severe than reflected XSS due to persistence of the malicious payload. The plugin is typically integrated into WordPress-based websites, which are widely used across various sectors including media, e-commerce, and corporate sites. The vulnerability's exploitation could compromise the confidentiality and integrity of user data and the availability of the affected web services if leveraged in chained attacks.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk especially to those relying on WordPress platforms with the Floating Social Bar plugin installed. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to user sessions, theft of sensitive information such as login credentials or personal data, and potential defacement or manipulation of website content. This can damage organizational reputation, lead to regulatory non-compliance (notably under GDPR), and cause financial losses due to remediation costs and potential legal penalties. Sectors such as media, e-commerce, education, and public services that engage heavily with end-users via their websites are particularly vulnerable. Additionally, the persistence of stored XSS increases the risk of widespread impact across multiple users. Although no active exploits are reported, the medium severity rating indicates a moderate risk that could escalate if attackers develop reliable exploit techniques. The lack of patches further elevates the threat level until mitigations are applied.

1. Immediate removal or disabling of the Floating Social Bar plugin until a security patch is released. 2. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules specifically targeting common XSS payload patterns to block malicious inputs and outputs related to the plugin. 3. Conduct thorough input validation and output encoding on all user-supplied data within the website, especially where the plugin interacts with content. 4. Monitor website logs for unusual input patterns or suspicious activities that may indicate attempted exploitation. 5. Educate web administrators and developers on secure coding practices related to input sanitization and XSS prevention. 6. Prepare an incident response plan to quickly address any detected exploitation attempts. 7. Once a patch is available, prioritize prompt testing and deployment in all affected environments. 8. Consider alternative social sharing solutions with verified security track records if immediate patching is not feasible. 9. Regularly update all WordPress components and plugins to minimize exposure to known vulnerabilities.