CVE-2025-5944 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting the Element Pack Addons for Elementor plugin for WordPress, specifically versions up to and including 8.0.0. The vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically insufficient sanitization and escaping of the 'data-caption' attribute. Authenticated attackers with Contributor-level privileges or higher can exploit this flaw by injecting arbitrary malicious scripts into pages. These scripts execute in the context of any user who views the compromised page, potentially leading to session hijacking, defacement, or further exploitation of the victim's browser environment. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.4, indicating a medium severity level. The attack vector is network-based with low attack complexity, requiring privileges equivalent to a Contributor role, and no user interaction is needed for the payload to execute once injected. The scope is changed as the vulnerability affects the confidentiality and integrity of the affected system by allowing script injection that can compromise user data or site content. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no official patches have been linked yet. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-79, which is a common and critical web application security weakness related to improper input validation and output encoding.

For European organizations using WordPress sites with the vulnerable Element Pack Elementor Addons and Templates plugin, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to website integrity and user trust. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized script execution, enabling attackers to steal session cookies, perform phishing attacks, or manipulate website content. This can result in data breaches involving personal data of European users, potentially triggering GDPR compliance issues and fines. Additionally, compromised websites may be blacklisted by search engines or security services, damaging brand reputation and causing loss of business. Since the vulnerability requires Contributor-level access, insider threats or compromised lower-privileged accounts could be leveraged to exploit this flaw. The medium severity score reflects a moderate risk, but the potential for cascading impacts on confidentiality and integrity makes it a serious concern for organizations relying on this plugin for their web presence.

1. Immediate auditing of user roles and permissions to ensure that only trusted users have Contributor-level or higher access to WordPress admin areas. 2. Implement strict input validation and output encoding on all user-supplied data, especially for attributes like 'data-caption' in the plugin's codebase. 3. Monitor and restrict plugin usage until an official patch is released; consider temporarily disabling or removing the Element Pack Addons plugin if feasible. 4. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious payloads targeting the 'data-caption' attribute or typical XSS vectors. 5. Conduct regular security scans and penetration tests focusing on stored XSS vulnerabilities in WordPress environments. 6. Educate content contributors about the risks of uploading untrusted content and encourage reporting of suspicious behavior. 7. Once available, promptly apply vendor patches or updates addressing this vulnerability. 8. Use Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the impact of potential XSS by restricting script sources and execution contexts.