CVE-2025-46525 is a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability classified under CWE-79, affecting the msmitley WP Cookie Consent plugin for WordPress. The vulnerability arises due to improper neutralization of input during web page generation, allowing malicious actors to inject and store arbitrary JavaScript code within the plugin’s functionality. When a victim visits a page where the malicious script is stored, the script executes in the context of the victim’s browser session. This can lead to theft of cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive information, as well as unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the user. The affected product, WP Cookie Consent, is used to manage cookie consent banners on WordPress sites, which are widely deployed to comply with privacy regulations such as the GDPR. The vulnerability affects all versions up to 1.0, with no patch currently available. Exploitation does not require authentication, and user interaction is limited to visiting a compromised or maliciously crafted page. Although no known exploits are currently observed in the wild, the vulnerability’s presence in a widely used plugin that handles user input and outputs it without proper sanitization makes it a significant risk for website operators and their users. The vulnerability was published on April 24, 2025, and has been enriched by CISA, indicating recognition by cybersecurity authorities. The lack of a patch increases the urgency for mitigation and monitoring.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be substantial due to the widespread use of WordPress and cookie consent plugins driven by GDPR compliance requirements. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to user sessions, potentially exposing personal data protected under GDPR, resulting in legal and financial penalties. The Stored XSS can facilitate phishing attacks, session hijacking, and unauthorized actions on behalf of users, undermining trust in affected websites. Organizations in sectors such as e-commerce, finance, healthcare, and government, which rely heavily on WordPress for public-facing websites, are particularly at risk. Additionally, the vulnerability could be leveraged to bypass cookie consent mechanisms, further complicating compliance efforts. The absence of a patch means that organizations must rely on alternative mitigations to protect their users and data. The impact extends beyond confidentiality to integrity and availability, as attackers could manipulate site content or disrupt services through injected scripts.

Given the absence of an official patch, European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Immediately audit all WordPress sites for the presence of the WP Cookie Consent plugin and assess the version in use. 2) Temporarily disable or remove the WP Cookie Consent plugin until a patch is released. 3) Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules specifically targeting patterns of malicious script injection related to this plugin, including blocking suspicious input in cookie consent forms. 4) Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of inline scripts and limit the domains from which scripts can be loaded, reducing the impact of XSS. 5) Conduct thorough input validation and output encoding on any custom code interacting with the plugin or handling user input. 6) Monitor web server and application logs for unusual activity indicative of exploitation attempts. 7) Educate web administrators and developers about the vulnerability and the importance of sanitizing inputs and outputs. 8) Prepare incident response plans to quickly address any detected exploitation. 9) Stay informed about updates from the vendor or security communities for the release of patches or further advisories.