CVE-2025-47488 is a Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability classified under CWE-79 that affects the Bold Page Builder plugin developed by boldthemes. This vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically enabling DOM-based XSS attacks. DOM-based XSS occurs when client-side scripts write user-controllable data to the Document Object Model (DOM) without proper sanitization or encoding, allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary JavaScript in the context of the victim's browser. The affected product versions include all versions up to and including 5.3.2, with no specific starting version identified. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.5, indicating a medium severity level. The vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L) reveals that the attack can be executed remotely over the network with low attack complexity, requires privileges (PR:L) and user interaction (UI:R), and impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability to a limited extent. The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability affects components beyond the initially vulnerable component. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability allows an attacker with some level of privilege to craft malicious input that, when processed by the Bold Page Builder, results in execution of arbitrary scripts in the browser of users viewing the affected pages. This can lead to session hijacking, defacement, or redirection to malicious sites, impacting the trustworthiness and security of websites using this plugin.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk especially to those relying on WordPress websites utilizing the Bold Page Builder plugin for content management and page design. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to user sessions, theft of sensitive data such as authentication tokens or personal information, and potential defacement or injection of malicious content on public-facing websites. This can damage brand reputation, lead to regulatory non-compliance under GDPR due to data breaches, and cause operational disruptions. Since the vulnerability requires some level of privilege and user interaction, internal users or authenticated contributors to the website could be targeted to trigger the exploit, increasing the risk within organizations that have multiple content editors or administrators. The changed scope indicates that the impact could extend beyond the plugin itself, potentially affecting other components or user sessions. Given the widespread use of WordPress in Europe and the popularity of page builder plugins, the threat could affect a broad range of sectors including e-commerce, media, education, and government websites.

European organizations should immediately audit their WordPress installations to identify the presence and version of the Bold Page Builder plugin. Until an official patch is released, organizations should consider the following specific mitigations: 1) Restrict plugin usage to trusted administrators and limit the number of users with editing privileges to reduce the risk of malicious input. 2) Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules that detect and block suspicious DOM-based XSS payloads targeting the plugin's known input vectors. 3) Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts on affected pages. 4) Conduct thorough input validation and output encoding on any custom code or extensions interacting with the plugin to prevent injection of malicious scripts. 5) Monitor website logs and user activity for unusual behavior indicative of attempted exploitation. 6) Prepare for rapid deployment of patches once available by maintaining an up-to-date backup and testing environment. 7) Educate content editors and administrators about the risks of clicking on suspicious links or interacting with untrusted content that could trigger the vulnerability.