CVE-2025-57935 is a stored Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability classified under CWE-79, affecting the WordPress plugin 'Bot Block – Stop Spam Referrals in Google Analytics' developed by Ricky Dawn. This plugin is designed to prevent spam referral traffic from polluting Google Analytics data. The vulnerability arises due to improper neutralization of input during web page generation, allowing malicious actors to inject and store arbitrary JavaScript code within the plugin's data handling processes. When an authenticated user with high privileges (as indicated by the CVSS vector requiring PR:H) views the affected page or interface, the malicious script executes in their browser context. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.9 (medium severity), reflecting that exploitation requires network access, low attack complexity, high privileges, and user interaction, but the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is limited to partial loss. The vulnerability affects all versions up to 2.6 of the plugin, with no patch currently available. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication (September 22, 2025). The stored XSS nature means that injected scripts persist in the plugin's data store and can affect multiple users over time, potentially leading to session hijacking, privilege escalation, or further compromise of the WordPress environment if exploited successfully.

For European organizations using WordPress sites with the 'Bot Block – Stop Spam Referrals in Google Analytics' plugin, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to site administrators and users with elevated privileges. Successful exploitation could lead to theft of authentication cookies, enabling attackers to impersonate administrators and gain unauthorized control over the website. This could result in defacement, data leakage, or deployment of malware to site visitors. Given the plugin's role in analytics data integrity, attackers might also manipulate analytics data or use the site as a vector for broader attacks. The impact is particularly significant for organizations relying on WordPress for critical business functions or customer engagement, including e-commerce, government portals, and media outlets. Additionally, GDPR considerations apply if personal data is compromised or if the website is used to distribute malicious content, potentially leading to regulatory penalties. The requirement for high privileges and user interaction limits the attack surface but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments with multiple administrators or where phishing/social engineering could facilitate exploitation.

Immediate mitigation steps include: 1) Auditing all WordPress installations to identify usage of the vulnerable plugin version (up to 2.6). 2) Restricting administrative access to trusted personnel and enforcing strong authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication (MFA). 3) Monitoring administrative interfaces for unusual activity or unexpected script injections. 4) Applying web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious input patterns related to XSS payloads targeting the plugin. 5) Temporarily disabling or removing the plugin if patching is not yet available, especially on high-value or public-facing sites. 6) Educating administrators about phishing risks and the importance of cautious interaction with administrative interfaces. 7) Once a patch is released, promptly applying updates and verifying the absence of injected scripts in the plugin's data store. 8) Implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict execution of unauthorized scripts in the browser context. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on the plugin-specific context, privilege requirements, and stored XSS characteristics.