CVE-2025-47617 is a medium-severity Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the WordPress plugin 'WP Front User Submit / Front Editor' developed by aharonyan. This vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of input during web page generation, classified under CWE-79. Specifically, the plugin fails to adequately sanitize or encode user-supplied input before rendering it on web pages, allowing an attacker to inject malicious scripts that persist in the application. When other users or administrators view the affected pages, the malicious scripts execute in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions performed with the victim’s privileges. The CVSS v3.1 score of 5.9 reflects a medium severity level, with the vector indicating network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring high privileges (PR:H), and user interaction (UI:R). The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability can affect resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. Confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts are all rated low, indicating limited but non-negligible damage potential. The vulnerability affects all versions of the plugin up to 4.9.3, with no patch currently available or linked. No known exploits are reported in the wild as of the publication date (May 7, 2025). Given the plugin’s role in allowing front-end user submissions and content editing, exploitation could allow attackers to embed persistent malicious scripts in user-generated content, impacting site visitors and administrators alike.

For European organizations using the WP Front User Submit / Front Editor plugin, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to websites that rely on front-end user content submission or editing capabilities. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized script execution in the browsers of site administrators or users, potentially resulting in session hijacking, defacement, or redirection to malicious sites. This can damage organizational reputation, lead to data leakage, and facilitate further attacks such as phishing or malware distribution. The requirement for high privileges to exploit reduces the risk from external unauthenticated attackers but raises concern for insider threats or compromised accounts. Organizations in sectors with high web presence, such as e-commerce, media, and public services, may face increased risk due to the potential for widespread impact on site visitors. Additionally, the scope change indicates that the vulnerability could affect other components or data beyond the plugin itself, increasing the potential attack surface. While no active exploitation is reported, the presence of this vulnerability in a widely used CMS plugin underscores the need for vigilance in patch management and input validation practices.

European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Immediately audit the usage of WP Front User Submit / Front Editor plugin across all WordPress sites and identify versions in use. 2) If possible, disable or remove the plugin until a vendor patch is released. 3) Implement strict input validation and output encoding for all user-generated content, particularly on pages that accept front-end submissions or edits. 4) Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block typical XSS payloads targeting this plugin. 5) Enforce the principle of least privilege by restricting administrative and editing rights to trusted users only, reducing the risk of exploitation requiring high privileges. 6) Monitor logs and user activity for unusual behavior indicative of attempted XSS exploitation. 7) Educate site administrators and users about the risks of clicking on suspicious links or executing unexpected scripts. 8) Stay updated with vendor advisories and apply patches promptly once available. 9) Consider implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers.