CVE-2025-8397 identifies a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the 'Save as PDF Button' WordPress plugin developed by restpack. The vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of user-supplied input within the plugin's shortcode attributes, specifically in versions up to and including 1.9.2. This flaw allows authenticated users with contributor-level permissions or higher to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into pages where the shortcode is used. Because the injected scripts are stored and executed whenever any user accesses the affected page, the vulnerability can be leveraged to perform a range of malicious activities, including session hijacking, defacement, or further exploitation of the victim's browser environment. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79, indicating improper input sanitization and output escaping during web page generation. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.4, reflecting a medium severity level, with an attack vector of network (remote), low attack complexity, requiring privileges (contributor or above), no user interaction, and a scope change. The impact affects confidentiality and integrity but not availability. No patches or exploits are currently publicly available, but the vulnerability is published and should be addressed proactively. The plugin is widely used in WordPress environments to enable PDF export functionality, making the vulnerability relevant to many websites that rely on this feature.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk primarily to websites using the affected WordPress plugin. Since contributor-level access is sufficient to exploit the flaw, insider threats or compromised contributor accounts could lead to persistent XSS attacks. The impact includes potential theft of session cookies, unauthorized actions performed on behalf of users, defacement of web content, and possible pivoting to further attacks within the organization's network. Confidentiality and integrity of user data and site content are at risk, which can damage organizational reputation and lead to compliance issues under regulations like GDPR if personal data is exposed or manipulated. The vulnerability does not directly affect availability but can indirectly disrupt services if exploited for defacement or malware delivery. Organizations with public-facing WordPress sites, especially those with multiple content contributors, are at higher risk. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate threat but does not eliminate the risk of future exploitation.

1. Monitor the restpack plugin repository and official channels for security patches addressing CVE-2025-8397 and apply updates immediately upon release. 2. Until a patch is available, restrict contributor-level permissions to trusted users only and review existing contributor accounts for suspicious activity. 3. Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block malicious payloads targeting the shortcode parameters of the Save as PDF Button plugin. 4. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts on affected web pages. 5. Conduct regular security audits and code reviews of custom shortcode usage to ensure no unsafe input is accepted or rendered. 6. Educate content contributors about the risks of injecting untrusted content and enforce strict input validation policies. 7. Consider disabling or removing the plugin if it is not essential to reduce the attack surface. 8. Use security plugins that can detect and sanitize stored XSS attempts within WordPress environments. 9. Monitor logs for unusual activity related to shortcode usage or script injections. 10. Backup website data regularly to enable quick restoration in case of compromise.