CVE-2025-52790 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability affecting the r-win WP-DownloadCounter plugin, specifically versions up to 1.01. This vulnerability allows an attacker to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of an authenticated user by tricking them into submitting malicious requests. The vulnerability is compounded by the presence of Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), which means that malicious scripts can be permanently stored on the affected site and executed in the context of users' browsers. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.1 reflects a high severity, indicating that the vulnerability can be exploited remotely (Attack Vector: Network) without requiring privileges (PR:N), but does require user interaction (UI:R). The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. The impact includes low confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts individually, but combined they can lead to significant compromise of user sessions and site integrity. The vulnerability arises from improper validation of requests, allowing attackers to forge requests that the server trusts, and the stored XSS can be used to steal cookies, perform further CSRF attacks, or escalate privileges. No patches or known exploits are currently reported, but the risk remains high due to the nature of the vulnerability and the widespread use of WordPress plugins like WP-DownloadCounter for download tracking on websites.

For European organizations, especially those relying on WordPress sites with the WP-DownloadCounter plugin, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Attackers could exploit the CSRF and stored XSS to hijack user sessions, deface websites, or inject malicious content that could spread malware or phishing attempts to visitors. This can lead to reputational damage, data breaches involving user information, and potential disruption of business operations. Organizations in sectors such as e-commerce, media, and public services that use this plugin for download tracking are particularly vulnerable. The combined CSRF and stored XSS can also facilitate lateral movement within web applications, potentially exposing sensitive internal resources. Given the plugin’s role in monitoring downloads, attackers might manipulate download statistics or inject malicious payloads into downloadable content, further amplifying the impact.

1. Immediate audit of all WordPress sites to identify installations of the WP-DownloadCounter plugin and verify the version in use. 2. Since no official patches are currently available, implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block CSRF attempts and suspicious payloads indicative of stored XSS. 3. Enforce strict Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to mitigate the impact of stored XSS by restricting script execution sources. 4. Harden user authentication by enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the risk of session hijacking. 5. Educate users to avoid clicking on suspicious links or performing actions on untrusted sites while logged into vulnerable WordPress sites. 6. Monitor web server logs for unusual POST requests or patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. 7. Once a patch is released, prioritize immediate update of the plugin. 8. Consider temporarily disabling or replacing the plugin with a more secure alternative if feasible. 9. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focusing on CSRF and XSS vectors in web applications.