CVE-2025-52796 is a high-severity reflected Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the WP-Recall plugin developed by tggfref. The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of user input during web page generation, classified under CWE-79. Specifically, this flaw allows an attacker to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. When a victim interacts with a crafted URL or input that triggers the vulnerability, the malicious script executes in the victim's browser context. This can lead to theft of session cookies, redirection to malicious sites, or execution of arbitrary actions with the victim's privileges. The vulnerability affects all versions of WP-Recall up to and including 16.26.14. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.1, indicating a high severity level. The vector details (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L) show that the attack can be launched remotely over the network without privileges, requires low attack complexity, no privileges, but does require user interaction (e.g., clicking a malicious link). The scope is changed, meaning the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. The impact includes low confidentiality, integrity, and availability losses, but combined with scope change, it can be more impactful. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. This vulnerability is critical for web applications relying on WP-Recall, as XSS can be a vector for further attacks such as session hijacking, phishing, or malware distribution.

For European organizations using WP-Recall, this vulnerability poses significant risks. WP-Recall is a WordPress plugin often used for user management and community features, so exploitation could compromise user accounts and sensitive data. The reflected XSS can be leveraged to steal authentication tokens or perform actions on behalf of users, potentially leading to unauthorized access or data leakage. Organizations in sectors with strict data protection regulations, such as finance, healthcare, or government, face increased compliance risks if user data is compromised. Additionally, reputational damage and loss of user trust are likely if attacks become public. The requirement for user interaction means phishing campaigns could be used to exploit this vulnerability, increasing the attack surface. Given the widespread use of WordPress in Europe, and the popularity of community and membership plugins, this vulnerability could affect a broad range of organizations, from SMEs to large enterprises. The scope change in the CVSS vector suggests that the impact could extend beyond the plugin itself, potentially affecting other parts of the web application or user sessions.

1. Immediate mitigation should focus on input validation and output encoding to neutralize malicious scripts. Developers should implement proper context-aware escaping of all user-supplied data before rendering it in HTML, JavaScript, or other contexts. 2. Until an official patch is released, organizations should consider deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block typical reflected XSS attack patterns targeting WP-Recall endpoints. 3. Administrators should monitor web server logs for suspicious requests containing script tags or unusual parameters indicative of XSS attempts. 4. User education is critical; users should be warned about phishing attempts that may exploit this vulnerability to trick them into clicking malicious links. 5. Organizations should plan to update WP-Recall to a patched version as soon as it becomes available. 6. Conduct a thorough security review of all customizations and integrations involving WP-Recall to ensure no additional injection points exist. 7. Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers, reducing the impact of successful XSS attacks. 8. Regularly back up affected web applications and databases to enable recovery in case of compromise.