CVE-2025-58652 is a stored Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability classified under CWE-79, affecting the Themepoints Carousel Ultimate plugin up to version 1.8. This vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of input during web page generation, allowing malicious actors to inject and store arbitrary scripts within the application. When a victim accesses the affected page, the malicious script executes in their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, defacement, or further exploitation of the victim's browser environment. The CVSS 3.1 score of 6.5 (medium severity) reflects that the vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network (AV:N) with low attack complexity (AC:L), but requires privileges (PR:L) and user interaction (UI:R). The scope is changed (S:C), indicating that exploitation affects resources beyond the vulnerable component. The impact includes low confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts individually, but collectively they can lead to significant security breaches. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. Stored XSS vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because the malicious payload persists on the server and can affect multiple users. Carousel Ultimate is a WordPress plugin used to create image carousels, and improper input sanitization in such plugins is a common attack vector. Attackers with at least low-level privileges on the site can inject malicious scripts, which may then be triggered by other users or administrators, amplifying the attack's reach.

For European organizations using WordPress sites with the Themepoints Carousel Ultimate plugin, this vulnerability poses a risk of client-side attacks that can compromise user accounts, steal sensitive data, or facilitate further attacks such as phishing or malware distribution. Organizations in sectors with high web presence, such as e-commerce, media, and public services, may face reputational damage and regulatory scrutiny under GDPR if user data confidentiality is compromised. The requirement for some level of privilege and user interaction reduces the risk somewhat but does not eliminate it, especially in environments where multiple users have editing or administrative rights. The scope change means that exploitation can affect other components or users beyond the initial vulnerable plugin, increasing potential damage. Stored XSS can also be leveraged to bypass security controls and escalate privileges. Given the widespread use of WordPress in Europe and the popularity of carousel plugins for enhancing website UI, the threat is relevant to many organizations. Failure to address this vulnerability could lead to data breaches, loss of customer trust, and potential fines under European data protection laws.

1. Immediate mitigation should include auditing all user inputs and stored content managed by the Carousel Ultimate plugin to identify and remove any malicious scripts. 2. Restrict plugin access to trusted users only, minimizing the number of users with privileges to add or modify carousel content. 3. Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers. 4. Monitor web application logs for unusual input patterns or script injections related to the plugin. 5. Until an official patch is released, consider disabling or removing the Carousel Ultimate plugin if it is not essential. 6. Use web application firewalls (WAF) with rules targeting XSS payloads to block exploitation attempts. 7. Educate site administrators and content editors about the risks of injecting untrusted content and the importance of sanitizing inputs. 8. Regularly update WordPress core, themes, and plugins to benefit from security fixes. 9. After patch availability, promptly apply the update to remediate the vulnerability. 10. Conduct penetration testing focusing on XSS vectors in the plugin to verify the effectiveness of mitigations.