CVE-2025-6988 is a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability classified under CWE-79, found in the KALLYAS Creative eCommerce Multi-Purpose WordPress theme developed by hogash. The vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 4.23.0 due to improper neutralization of user-supplied input within several shortcodes provided by the theme. Specifically, the theme fails to adequately sanitize and escape attributes passed through these shortcodes, allowing authenticated users with contributor-level permissions or higher to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into pages. Because the malicious script is stored in the page content, it executes every time the page is accessed by any user, potentially compromising session tokens, redirecting users, or performing unauthorized actions on behalf of users. The vulnerability requires authentication but no user interaction to trigger the payload once injected. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.4, reflecting a medium severity with network attack vector, low attack complexity, and privileges required at a low level. The scope is changed, indicating that the vulnerability affects components beyond the initially vulnerable code. No public exploits or patches are currently available, though the vulnerability was published on November 1, 2025. The issue highlights the importance of secure coding practices in WordPress themes, especially those handling user-generated content through shortcodes.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to websites using the KALLYAS WordPress theme, particularly those operating eCommerce or multi-purpose sites where contributors can add or edit content. Exploitation could lead to session hijacking, unauthorized actions performed under the victim's credentials, defacement, or redirection to malicious sites, undermining user trust and potentially causing financial and reputational damage. Since the vulnerability requires contributor-level access, insider threats or compromised contributor accounts are primary attack vectors. The stored nature of the XSS means that once injected, the malicious code can affect all visitors to the compromised pages, amplifying the impact. Given the widespread use of WordPress and the popularity of the KALLYAS theme in European markets, the threat could affect a broad range of sectors including retail, media, and services. Additionally, GDPR implications arise if personal data is exposed or manipulated through the attack, potentially leading to regulatory penalties.

Immediate mitigation should focus on restricting contributor-level access to trusted users only and monitoring for suspicious shortcode content or unexpected script injections. Organizations should implement web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block common XSS payloads targeting shortcode parameters. Until an official patch is released, consider disabling or limiting the use of vulnerable shortcodes in the KALLYAS theme. Employ additional input validation and output encoding at the application level if possible. Regularly audit user-generated content for injected scripts and educate contributors on secure content practices. Once a patch becomes available from the vendor, promptly apply it. Additionally, enable Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to reduce the impact of potential XSS by restricting script execution sources. Logging and alerting on anomalous content changes can also help detect exploitation attempts early.