CVE-2025-46466 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability identified in the felixtz Modern Polls plugin, affecting versions up to and including 1.0.10. The vulnerability allows an attacker to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of an authenticated user without their consent. Specifically, this CSRF flaw can be leveraged to inject stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) payloads into the application. Stored XSS occurs when malicious scripts are permanently stored on the target server (e.g., in a database) and executed in the context of users visiting the affected pages. The combination of CSRF and stored XSS significantly increases the attack surface, as an attacker can trick an authenticated user into submitting crafted requests that store malicious scripts, which then execute in the browser of other users or administrators interacting with the poll data. This can lead to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or further exploitation of the victim's browser environment. The vulnerability arises due to insufficient validation of request authenticity tokens or lack of anti-CSRF mechanisms in the Modern Polls plugin. Since the plugin is commonly used to create and manage polls within web applications, the attack vector typically involves social engineering or maliciously crafted links that induce users to unknowingly submit forged requests. No patches or fixes have been published at the time of this report, and no known exploits are currently observed in the wild. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-352, which highlights weaknesses in request forgery protections. The technical details indicate that the vulnerability was reserved and published in April 2025, with enrichment from CISA, underscoring its recognition by cybersecurity authorities. The absence of a CVSS score necessitates an independent severity assessment based on the potential impact and exploitability factors.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for those relying on the Modern Polls plugin for interactive web content, surveys, or user feedback mechanisms. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized actions performed under the guise of legitimate users, including administrators, potentially compromising poll data integrity and availability. The stored XSS component can facilitate widespread client-side attacks, enabling attackers to steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of users, or deliver malware payloads. This can result in reputational damage, data breaches, and regulatory non-compliance, particularly under GDPR requirements concerning data protection and breach notification. Organizations in sectors such as government, education, media, and e-commerce, which often use polling tools for engagement, may face increased risks. Additionally, the vulnerability could be exploited to pivot into broader network attacks if administrative credentials or session tokens are compromised. Given the lack of known exploits in the wild, the immediate risk is moderate; however, the potential for rapid weaponization exists once exploit code becomes available.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Immediately audit all instances of the Modern Polls plugin to identify affected versions and disable or restrict access to polling functionalities until patches are available. 2) Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious CSRF patterns and payloads targeting poll endpoints. 3) Enforce strict Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts, mitigating the impact of stored XSS. 4) Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for administrative users to reduce the risk of session hijacking. 5) Conduct user awareness campaigns to educate users about the risks of clicking untrusted links that could trigger CSRF attacks. 6) Monitor logs for unusual POST requests or changes to poll data indicative of CSRF exploitation attempts. 7) Engage with the vendor or community to track patch releases and apply updates promptly once available. 8) Consider isolating the polling functionality within sandboxed environments or subdomains to contain potential XSS impacts. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on compensating controls and proactive monitoring tailored to the nature of this vulnerability.