CVE-2025-8200 is a medium-severity vulnerability classified as CWE-79, indicating an improper neutralization of input during web page generation, commonly known as Cross-Site Scripting (XSS). This vulnerability affects the Mega Elements – Addons for Elementor WordPress plugin developed by kraftplugins, specifically in its Countdown Timer widget. Versions up to and including 1.3.2 are vulnerable. The root cause is insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user-supplied attributes within the widget. This flaw allows an authenticated attacker with contributor-level privileges or higher to inject arbitrary malicious scripts into pages generated by the plugin. These scripts are stored persistently and executed whenever any user accesses the compromised page, potentially leading to session hijacking, defacement, or redirection to malicious sites. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.4, reflecting a medium severity with network attack vector, low attack complexity, requiring privileges (PR:L), no user interaction, and a scope change. The impact affects confidentiality and integrity but not availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability was reserved in July 2025 and published in September 2025. Given the plugin’s integration with Elementor, a widely used WordPress page builder, the vulnerability could affect many websites that use this plugin, especially those allowing contributor-level users to edit content.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to websites using the Mega Elements – Addons for Elementor plugin, particularly those that allow multiple contributors or editors to manage content. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized script execution, enabling attackers to steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of users, or deliver malware payloads. This can result in data breaches, reputational damage, and loss of customer trust. Organizations in sectors such as e-commerce, media, education, and government that rely on WordPress for their web presence are particularly at risk. The vulnerability’s requirement for contributor-level access limits exposure somewhat but does not eliminate risk, as many organizations grant such privileges to multiple users. The scope change in the CVSS vector indicates that the vulnerability can affect resources beyond the initially vulnerable component, potentially impacting other parts of the website or user sessions. Given the lack of known exploits, proactive mitigation is critical to prevent future attacks. Additionally, compliance with GDPR mandates protecting user data, and exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to regulatory penalties if personal data is compromised.

1. Immediate mitigation should include restricting contributor-level access to trusted users only until a patch is available. 2. Implement strict content review and approval workflows to detect and prevent malicious script injection. 3. Employ a Web Application Firewall (WAF) configured to detect and block common XSS payloads targeting the Countdown Timer widget. 4. Monitor website logs and user activity for unusual behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 5. Encourage the plugin vendor to release a security patch with proper input sanitization and output escaping; apply the patch promptly once available. 6. As a temporary workaround, disable or remove the Countdown Timer widget from affected sites if feasible. 7. Educate content contributors about the risks of injecting untrusted code or scripts. 8. Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability scans focusing on WordPress plugins and user permissions. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on access control, monitoring, and vendor coordination specific to this plugin and vulnerability.