CVE-2025-6757 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting the Recent Posts Widget Extended plugin for WordPress, developed by themejunkie. This vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 2.0.2. The root cause is insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user-supplied attributes of the plugin's 'rpwe' shortcode. Authenticated attackers with contributor-level access or higher can exploit this flaw by injecting arbitrary JavaScript code into pages that utilize this shortcode. When other users visit the compromised pages, the injected scripts execute in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, privilege escalation, defacement, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation), indicating a failure to properly sanitize inputs before rendering them in web pages. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.4 (medium severity), reflecting that the attack vector is network-based, requires low attack complexity, but does require privileges (authenticated contributor or above). The scope is changed, meaning the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. There is no user interaction required for exploitation once the malicious code is injected. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no official patches have been linked yet. This vulnerability is significant because WordPress is a widely used CMS, and plugins like Recent Posts Widget Extended are common for enhancing site functionality. The ability for relatively low-privileged users to inject persistent scripts poses a risk to site integrity and user trust.

For European organizations using WordPress with the Recent Posts Widget Extended plugin, this vulnerability could lead to several adverse impacts. Confidentiality may be compromised if attackers steal session cookies or credentials via the injected scripts, enabling unauthorized access to sensitive data or administrative functions. Integrity of website content can be undermined through defacement or unauthorized content injection, damaging brand reputation and user trust. Availability is less directly impacted, but persistent XSS can be leveraged in complex attack chains that may disrupt services. Given the requirement for contributor-level access, insider threats or compromised accounts pose a significant risk vector. Organizations in sectors with strict data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR) may face compliance issues if user data is exposed or manipulated. Additionally, the vulnerability could be exploited to distribute malware or phishing content to site visitors, increasing the risk of broader cyber incidents. The medium severity score suggests a moderate but non-trivial risk, especially for high-traffic or sensitive websites. European organizations with public-facing WordPress sites that allow contributor-level user roles should prioritize addressing this vulnerability to prevent exploitation and potential reputational damage.

1. Immediate mitigation involves restricting contributor-level access to trusted users only, minimizing the risk of malicious shortcode attribute injection. 2. Disable or remove the Recent Posts Widget Extended plugin until a security patch is released by themejunkie. 3. Monitor and audit user-generated content and shortcode usage for suspicious or unexpected scripts or attributes. 4. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block typical XSS payloads targeting the 'rpwe' shortcode parameters. 5. Encourage the plugin vendor to release a patch that properly sanitizes and escapes all user-supplied inputs in the shortcode implementation. 6. Apply Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict execution of unauthorized scripts on affected sites. 7. Educate site administrators and contributors about the risks of XSS and safe content practices. 8. Regularly update WordPress core, plugins, and themes to incorporate security fixes promptly. 9. Conduct penetration testing focusing on shortcode injection vectors to validate remediation effectiveness.