CVE-2025-49954 identifies a reflected Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the mithra62 WP-Click-Tracker WordPress plugin, affecting all versions up to and including 0.7.3. The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of user-supplied input during the generation of web pages, which allows an attacker to inject malicious JavaScript code that is reflected back to the user’s browser. This reflected XSS does not require authentication, making it accessible to remote attackers who can craft malicious URLs or web requests that, when visited or clicked by a user, execute arbitrary scripts in the context of the vulnerable website. The CVSS v3.1 score of 7.1 reflects a high severity rating, with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but requiring user interaction (UI:R). The scope is changed (S:C), indicating that exploitation can affect resources beyond the vulnerable component. The impact metrics indicate low confidentiality (C:L), integrity (I:L), and availability (A:L) impacts, meaning the attacker can partially compromise these aspects, such as stealing session cookies, defacing content, or causing minor service disruptions. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild yet, the vulnerability presents a significant risk due to the widespread use of WordPress and the plugin’s role in tracking clicks, which is often integrated into marketing and analytics workflows. The lack of an official patch at the time of publication necessitates immediate attention from administrators. The vulnerability can be leveraged for phishing, session hijacking, or redirecting users to malicious sites, potentially leading to further compromise or data leakage.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-49954 can be significant, especially for those relying on WordPress sites with the WP-Click-Tracker plugin for marketing analytics or user interaction tracking. Successful exploitation can lead to theft of user credentials, session tokens, or other sensitive information, undermining user trust and potentially violating data protection regulations such as GDPR. The reflected XSS can also facilitate phishing attacks by injecting deceptive content or redirecting users to malicious domains, increasing the risk of broader compromise. Integrity of website content can be affected, damaging brand reputation and causing operational disruptions. Availability impact is generally low but could manifest as temporary denial of service or degraded user experience. Organizations in sectors like e-commerce, media, and public services, which heavily depend on web presence and user engagement, are particularly vulnerable. Additionally, regulatory scrutiny in Europe means that exploitation leading to data breaches could result in significant fines and legal consequences.

1. Monitor the vendor’s official channels and trusted vulnerability databases for the release of a security patch and apply it immediately upon availability. 2. In the interim, restrict or disable the WP-Click-Tracker plugin if feasible, especially on high-risk or public-facing sites. 3. Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with robust XSS detection and filtering capabilities to block malicious payloads targeting this vulnerability. 4. Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers. 5. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focusing on input validation and output encoding in all web applications. 6. Educate users and administrators about the risks of clicking on suspicious links and the importance of reporting unusual website behavior. 7. Review and harden WordPress security configurations, including least privilege principles for plugin usage and timely updates of all components. 8. Consider using security plugins that provide additional XSS protection and monitoring capabilities.