CVE-2025-47605 is a medium severity vulnerability classified under CWE-79, indicating an Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, commonly known as Cross-site Scripting (XSS). This vulnerability affects the AppJetty WP jQuery DataTable plugin for WordPress, specifically versions up to 4.1.0. The flaw allows an attacker to inject malicious scripts that are stored persistently within the application, leading to Stored XSS attacks. Stored XSS occurs when malicious input is saved by the application and later rendered in web pages without proper sanitization or encoding, enabling the execution of arbitrary JavaScript in the context of users’ browsers. The CVSS 3.1 score of 5.9 reflects a medium severity, with the vector indicating network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring high privileges (PR:H) and user interaction (UI:R), with a scope change (S:C) and low impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:L/I:L/A:L). This means exploitation requires an authenticated user with elevated privileges and some user interaction, but can affect multiple components or privileges beyond the vulnerable component. The vulnerability is particularly relevant for websites using the WP jQuery DataTable plugin to display tabular data, where user input or data from untrusted sources is rendered without adequate input validation or output encoding. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild yet, the presence of stored XSS can lead to session hijacking, defacement, phishing, or distribution of malware to site visitors. The lack of available patches at the time of publication emphasizes the need for immediate mitigation and monitoring. The vulnerability was published on May 7, 2025, and is tracked by Patchstack and CISA enrichment, indicating recognition by security authorities.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk especially to those relying on WordPress websites with the WP jQuery DataTable plugin for business-critical or customer-facing applications. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized script execution in the browsers of site visitors or administrators, potentially compromising user credentials, session tokens, or enabling further attacks such as privilege escalation or lateral movement within the network. This can result in data breaches, reputational damage, and regulatory non-compliance under GDPR due to exposure of personal data. The medium severity and requirement for authenticated high-privilege users limit the attack surface but do not eliminate risk, particularly in environments with multiple administrators or contributors. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, e-commerce, and government are at higher risk due to the sensitivity of data and regulatory scrutiny. Additionally, stored XSS can be leveraged to target European citizens specifically, raising privacy and security concerns. The absence of known exploits suggests a window of opportunity for proactive defense, but also the potential for future exploitation as attackers develop proof-of-concept code.

European organizations should immediately audit their WordPress installations to identify the presence of the WP jQuery DataTable plugin and verify the version in use. Until an official patch is released, the following specific mitigations are recommended: 1) Restrict plugin usage to trusted administrators only and minimize the number of users with high privileges to reduce the risk of exploitation. 2) Implement strict input validation and output encoding on all data rendered by the plugin, particularly for any user-generated content or external data sources. 3) Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block typical XSS payloads targeting the plugin’s endpoints. 4) Monitor logs for suspicious activities such as unusual input patterns or repeated failed attempts to inject scripts. 5) Educate administrators and users about the risks of clicking on suspicious links or interacting with untrusted content within the site. 6) Consider temporarily disabling or replacing the plugin with alternative solutions that do not exhibit this vulnerability. 7) Stay updated with vendor announcements and apply patches promptly once available. 8) Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on XSS vulnerabilities in web applications.