CVE-2025-54296 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the ProFiles component versions 1.0 through 1.5.0 for Joomla, developed by mooj.org. This vulnerability arises due to improper neutralization of input during web page generation, classified under CWE-79. Stored XSS occurs when malicious input is saved by the web application and later rendered in the browser without proper sanitization or encoding, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript in the context of the victim's browser. The vulnerability affects Joomla sites using the ProFiles component within the specified versions. Exploitation requires high privileges (PR:H) and user interaction (UI:A), with a high attack complexity (AC:H), indicating that an attacker must have authenticated access with elevated rights and trick a user into interacting with malicious content. The CVSS v4.0 score is 7.0 (high severity), reflecting significant impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with high requirements for attack conditions. Although no known exploits are currently in the wild, the vulnerability poses a serious risk if weaponized. The lack of available patches at the time of publication suggests that affected organizations must prioritize mitigation and monitoring. Stored XSS can lead to session hijacking, defacement, redirection to malicious sites, or distribution of malware, severely compromising the trustworthiness and security of affected Joomla websites.

For European organizations, especially those relying on Joomla CMS with the ProFiles component, this vulnerability can lead to significant security breaches. Stored XSS can compromise user credentials, enable privilege escalation, and facilitate persistent attacks against site visitors or administrators. This is particularly critical for entities handling sensitive data such as e-commerce platforms, government portals, healthcare providers, and financial institutions. The exploitation requiring high privileges means insider threats or compromised administrator accounts could be leveraged to inject malicious scripts, potentially leading to data theft, reputational damage, and regulatory non-compliance under GDPR. Additionally, the ability to execute scripts in users' browsers can facilitate phishing or malware distribution campaigns targeting European users. The high attack complexity and requirement for user interaction somewhat limit mass exploitation but do not eliminate targeted attacks against high-value European organizations.

European organizations should immediately audit their Joomla installations to identify the presence of the ProFiles component versions 1.0 to 1.5.0. Since no patches are currently available, organizations must consider disabling or uninstalling the vulnerable component until a secure update is released. Implement strict input validation and output encoding on all user-generated content within the ProFiles component to prevent script injection. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers. Enhance monitoring for unusual administrator activities and user interactions that could indicate exploitation attempts. Regularly review access controls to minimize the number of users with high privileges and enforce multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of credential compromise. Additionally, educate users and administrators about the risks of interacting with suspicious content to mitigate the user interaction requirement for exploitation.