CVE-2025-57665 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting the Element Plus UI library's Link component (el-link) up to version 2.10.6. The core issue stems from insufficient input validation of the href attribute, which is user-controllable in affected applications. Specifically, the component fails to validate or sanitize URLs passed to the underlying anchor (<a>) elements, allowing potentially dangerous protocols such as javascript:, data:, and file: to be injected. This creates a security abstraction gap where the UI component library does not enforce the same security safeguards expected from native HTML elements, thereby increasing the risk surface. The vulnerability can be exploited to conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks by injecting malicious scripts, facilitate phishing by redirecting users to attacker-controlled external sites, or enable open redirect exploits that can be used in broader attack chains. Although native anchor elements inherently carry similar risks if misused, UI libraries like Element Plus are expected to implement additional protective measures and provide clear documentation on safe usage. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-601 (URL Redirection to Untrusted Site) and CWE-79 (Cross-site Scripting), highlighting the dual nature of the threat. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.4, indicating a medium severity with network attack vector, low attack complexity, requiring privileges but no user interaction, and impacting confidentiality and integrity with a scope change. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet, emphasizing the need for proactive mitigation by developers and organizations using this component in their web applications.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses significant risks, especially for those developing or deploying web applications using the Element Plus UI framework. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information (confidentiality impact) and manipulation of web content or user sessions (integrity impact). The absence of user interaction requirement and the network attack vector mean attackers can exploit this remotely if they have some level of access or privileges within the application. This could facilitate phishing campaigns targeting European users, potentially damaging brand reputation and leading to regulatory scrutiny under GDPR due to data protection violations. Open redirect vulnerabilities can also be leveraged in social engineering attacks, increasing the risk of credential theft or malware distribution. Given the widespread adoption of modern JavaScript frameworks in European digital services, especially in sectors like finance, e-commerce, and public administration, the vulnerability could affect critical services and user trust. The medium severity score suggests that while the threat is serious, it may require some level of privilege or contextual access, somewhat limiting immediate widespread exploitation but still necessitating urgent attention.

To mitigate CVE-2025-57665 effectively, European organizations should: 1) Immediately audit all web applications using Element Plus Link components to identify instances where href attributes accept user-controlled input. 2) Implement strict input validation and sanitization on URLs before passing them to the el-link component, explicitly disallowing dangerous protocols such as javascript:, data:, and file:. 3) Where possible, replace user-controlled href values with safe, validated URLs or use application logic to restrict redirection targets to trusted domains only. 4) Monitor Element Plus library updates closely and apply patches as soon as they become available. 5) Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict script execution and frame ancestors, mitigating the impact of potential XSS attacks. 6) Educate developers on secure usage patterns of UI components and the importance of validating all user inputs, even when using third-party libraries. 7) Conduct regular security testing, including static code analysis and dynamic scanning, focusing on URL handling and redirection logic. 8) Consider implementing runtime application self-protection (RASP) solutions to detect and block exploitation attempts in real time.