CVE-2025-49951 is a reflected Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the wpcrunch gAppointments plugin, a WordPress plugin used for appointment scheduling. The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of user-supplied input during the generation of web pages, which allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code into the output. This reflected XSS occurs when crafted input is included in HTTP responses without adequate sanitization or encoding, enabling attackers to execute scripts in the context of the victim's browser. The affected versions include all versions up to and including 1.14.1. The vulnerability does not require any privileges to exploit but does require user interaction, such as clicking on a maliciously crafted URL. The CVSS v3.1 score is 7.1, indicating a high severity level, with an attack vector of network (remote), low attack complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required, and scope changed. The impact includes partial loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as attackers can steal session cookies, manipulate page content, or redirect users to malicious sites. No patches or exploit code are currently publicly available, and no known exploits in the wild have been reported. The vulnerability was reserved in June 2025 and published in October 2025. The plugin is widely used in WordPress environments, which are common among small and medium enterprises and service providers.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-49951 can be significant, especially for those relying on WordPress and the gAppointments plugin for customer-facing appointment scheduling. Exploitation can lead to session hijacking, enabling attackers to impersonate legitimate users, potentially accessing sensitive customer data or internal systems. It can also facilitate phishing attacks by redirecting users to malicious sites or injecting fraudulent content. This can damage organizational reputation, lead to regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR breaches due to data exposure), and cause operational disruptions. Small and medium enterprises, healthcare providers, and service industries using gAppointments are particularly vulnerable. The reflected nature of the XSS means attackers must lure users into clicking malicious links, which can be done via email or social engineering campaigns. Given the widespread use of WordPress in Europe, the scope of affected systems is broad, increasing the potential impact.

1. Immediate upgrade to a patched version of gAppointments once available; monitor vendor advisories closely. 2. In the absence of a patch, implement strict input validation and output encoding on all user-supplied data within the plugin or via custom code. 3. Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block reflected XSS payloads targeting gAppointments endpoints. 4. Educate users and administrators about the risks of clicking unsolicited links, especially those related to appointment scheduling. 5. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focusing on WordPress plugins and their input handling. 6. Restrict plugin usage to trusted users and limit administrative privileges to reduce attack surface. 7. Monitor logs for suspicious requests that may indicate exploitation attempts. 8. Consider implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to mitigate the impact of injected scripts. 9. Backup website data regularly to enable quick recovery in case of compromise.