CVE-2025-48087 identifies a Stored Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Memberlite Shortcodes plugin developed by Jason C., specifically affecting versions up to 1.4.1. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79, indicating improper neutralization of input during web page generation. This flaw allows an attacker with at least low privileges (PR:L) and requiring user interaction (UI:R) to inject malicious scripts that are stored and later executed in the context of users visiting the affected web pages. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.5, reflecting a medium severity level. The vector indicates network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), partial confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts (C:L/I:L/A:L), and scope change (S:C), meaning the vulnerability can affect resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. The plugin is commonly used in WordPress environments to provide shortcode functionality, which dynamically generates web content. Improper input sanitization in shortcode processing allows malicious payloads to be stored in the website’s content database and executed when rendered in a user's browser. While no known exploits are currently active in the wild, the vulnerability poses a risk of session hijacking, defacement, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of users. The absence of published patches necessitates immediate attention to alternative mitigations. The vulnerability was reserved in May 2025 and published in October 2025, indicating recent discovery and disclosure.

For European organizations, this vulnerability can lead to unauthorized script execution within the browsers of site visitors or administrators, potentially resulting in session hijacking, theft of sensitive information, or unauthorized actions performed with the privileges of the affected user. This can compromise the confidentiality and integrity of data, as well as availability if attackers inject disruptive scripts. Organizations operating public-facing WordPress sites using the Memberlite Shortcodes plugin are particularly at risk. The medium severity score suggests a moderate but tangible risk, especially in environments where users have elevated privileges or where sensitive data is processed. The scope change indicates that the impact can extend beyond the plugin itself, potentially affecting other components or users. Given the widespread use of WordPress in Europe, especially in small and medium enterprises, educational institutions, and government portals, exploitation could lead to reputational damage, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR breaches), and operational disruption. The requirement for user interaction and low privileges reduces the ease of exploitation but does not eliminate the threat, especially in targeted attacks or phishing campaigns.

1. Monitor for official patches or updates from the plugin developer and apply them immediately upon release. 2. Until patches are available, consider disabling or uninstalling the Memberlite Shortcodes plugin if it is not critical to operations. 3. Implement strict input validation and output encoding on all user-supplied data processed by the plugin, potentially via web application firewalls (WAF) or custom filters. 4. Restrict plugin access and usage to trusted users only, minimizing the number of users who can input content that is processed by the vulnerable shortcode functionality. 5. Conduct regular security audits and code reviews of WordPress plugins and themes to identify similar vulnerabilities proactively. 6. Enhance monitoring and logging to detect unusual activity or injection attempts related to shortcode usage. 7. Educate users and administrators about the risks of XSS and the importance of cautious interaction with untrusted content. 8. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the impact of potential XSS payloads by restricting script execution sources. 9. Backup website data regularly to enable quick restoration in case of compromise. 10. Consider using security plugins that provide additional XSS protection and input sanitization.