CVE-2025-53290 is a stored Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability classified under CWE-79, affecting the MS WP Visual Sitemap plugin for WordPress. This vulnerability arises due to improper neutralization of input during web page generation, allowing malicious scripts to be injected and stored within the sitemap content. When a user or administrator views the affected sitemap page, the malicious script executes in their browser context. The vulnerability affects versions up to 1.0.2 of the WP Visual Sitemap plugin. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.5, indicating a medium severity level, with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring privileges (PR:L), and 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, but the stored nature of the XSS means persistent exploitation is possible. Exploitation requires an attacker to have some level of privileges on the WordPress site (e.g., contributor or editor) to inject the malicious payload, and a victim user must interact with the malicious content to trigger the script execution. No known exploits are currently in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. Stored XSS vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins are critical because they can lead to session hijacking, privilege escalation, defacement, or malware distribution, especially if administrators or privileged users are targeted.

For European organizations using WordPress with the WP Visual Sitemap plugin, this vulnerability poses a risk of persistent XSS attacks that can compromise administrative accounts or other users with elevated privileges. This can lead to unauthorized access, data leakage, or manipulation of website content. Given the widespread use of WordPress in Europe for corporate, governmental, and e-commerce sites, exploitation could disrupt business operations, damage reputation, and lead to regulatory non-compliance under GDPR if personal data is exposed. The requirement for some level of privilege to inject payloads limits mass exploitation but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments with multiple content contributors or less stringent access controls. The vulnerability's ability to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability, combined with the changed scope, means that attacks could extend beyond the plugin itself to other parts of the website or connected systems.

European organizations should immediately audit their WordPress installations for the presence of the WP Visual Sitemap plugin and verify the version in use. Until an official patch is released, organizations should restrict plugin access to trusted users only and review user roles and permissions to minimize the number of users who can add or modify sitemap content. Implementing Web Application Firewalls (WAF) with rules to detect and block common XSS payloads can provide temporary protection. Additionally, applying Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can mitigate the impact of XSS by restricting script execution sources. Regularly monitoring logs for suspicious input or unusual user activity related to sitemap management is recommended. Once a patch becomes available, prompt updating is critical. Organizations should also consider isolating or disabling the plugin if it is not essential to reduce the attack surface.