CVE-2025-49057 is a high-severity reflected Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the Ko Min WP Voting plugin for WordPress. The vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of user-supplied input during web page generation, classified under CWE-79. Specifically, the plugin fails to adequately sanitize or encode input parameters that are reflected back in the web page, allowing an attacker to inject malicious scripts. When a victim user visits a crafted URL containing the malicious payload, the injected script executes in their browser context. This can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, defacement, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability affects all versions of WP Voting up to 1.8, with no patch currently available as per the provided data. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.1, indicating a high severity level, with the vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L. This means the attack can be launched remotely over the network without privileges, requires user interaction (clicking a malicious link), and impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability to a limited extent but with a scope change (affecting other users). No known exploits are reported in the wild yet, but the presence of this vulnerability in a popular WordPress plugin makes it a significant risk, especially given WordPress's widespread use. The reflected XSS nature means attackers can craft URLs that, when visited by administrators or users, execute arbitrary JavaScript in their browsers, potentially leading to account compromise or further exploitation within the affected site.

For European organizations using WordPress sites with the Ko Min WP Voting plugin, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to user sessions, data leakage, or manipulation of voting results if the plugin is used for polls or feedback mechanisms. This can damage organizational reputation, violate data protection regulations such as GDPR due to potential personal data exposure, and disrupt business operations. Since the vulnerability requires user interaction, phishing campaigns targeting employees or customers could be used to trigger the exploit. The scope change in the CVSS vector indicates that the impact can extend beyond the initially targeted user, potentially affecting multiple users or site integrity. Given the popularity of WordPress in Europe, especially among SMEs and public sector websites, the threat could affect a broad range of sectors including government, education, and commerce. The lack of a patch increases the urgency for mitigation to prevent exploitation.

European organizations should immediately audit their WordPress installations to identify the presence of the Ko Min WP Voting plugin, particularly versions up to 1.8. Until a patch is released, organizations should consider disabling or uninstalling the plugin to eliminate the attack surface. If the plugin is essential, implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block typical reflected XSS payload patterns targeting the plugin's parameters. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict script execution sources, mitigating the impact of injected scripts. Educate users and administrators to be cautious about clicking on suspicious links, especially those that appear to come from untrusted sources. Regularly monitor web server logs for unusual query parameters or access patterns indicative of attempted exploitation. Additionally, ensure that WordPress core and all other plugins are kept up to date to reduce overall risk. Organizations should also prepare incident response plans specific to web application attacks and consider deploying browser isolation technologies for high-risk user groups.