CVE-2025-53238 is a stored Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the Toast Plugins Toast Mobile Menu, specifically versions up to and including 1.0.7. The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of user-supplied input during the generation of web pages, which allows malicious scripts to be injected and stored persistently within the application. When a victim accesses the affected page, the malicious script executes in their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, theft of cookies or credentials, defacement of the website, or redirection to malicious domains. This vulnerability does not require user interaction beyond visiting the compromised page and does not require authentication, increasing its risk profile. The plugin is commonly used to provide responsive mobile menu functionality in websites, often integrated into content management systems like WordPress. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability’s presence in a widely used plugin makes it a significant risk. The lack of a CVSS score necessitates an assessment based on the vulnerability’s characteristics: it affects confidentiality and integrity primarily, has a broad scope due to the plugin’s usage, and is relatively easy to exploit by injecting malicious payloads via input fields that are not properly sanitized or encoded. The vulnerability was reserved in June 2025 and published in October 2025, with no patch links currently available, indicating that remediation may still be pending or in progress.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-53238 can be substantial, especially for those relying on the Toast Mobile Menu plugin in their web infrastructure. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to user sessions, enabling attackers to impersonate legitimate users and potentially access sensitive information or perform unauthorized actions. This can damage the organization's reputation, lead to data breaches, and cause regulatory compliance issues under GDPR due to exposure of personal data. Additionally, attackers could deface websites or redirect users to phishing or malware sites, undermining user trust and causing operational disruptions. Organizations in sectors such as e-commerce, finance, healthcare, and public services, which often have high web traffic and sensitive data, are particularly vulnerable. The vulnerability’s stored nature means that once injected, the malicious script affects all users accessing the compromised page, amplifying the potential damage. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the risk of future exploitation remains high.

To mitigate CVE-2025-53238, organizations should first monitor for and apply any official patches or updates released by Toast Plugins promptly. In the absence of patches, implement strict input validation and sanitization on all user inputs that interact with the Toast Mobile Menu plugin, ensuring that potentially malicious characters are neutralized before rendering. Employ output encoding techniques to prevent script execution in the browser context. Deploy Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts and reduce the impact of any injected code. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focused on web application vulnerabilities, including XSS. Additionally, consider implementing Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules tailored to detect and block XSS payloads targeting the plugin. Educate development and content teams about secure coding practices and the risks of stored XSS. Finally, maintain robust incident response plans to quickly address any exploitation attempts.