CVE-2026-25004 identifies a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the CreativeMindsSolutions CM Business Directory plugin, specifically in versions up to and including 1.5.3. The vulnerability is caused by improper neutralization of user-supplied input during the generation of web pages, allowing malicious scripts to be stored persistently within the application. When other users access the affected pages, the malicious payload executes in their browsers under the context of the vulnerable site. This can lead to a variety of attacks including session hijacking, theft of cookies or credentials, defacement, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability is categorized as stored XSS, which is more dangerous than reflected XSS because the payload is permanently stored and served to multiple users. Although no known exploits have been reported in the wild, the presence of this vulnerability in a widely used business directory plugin poses a significant risk. The plugin is commonly used in WordPress environments to manage business listings, often on public-facing websites, increasing the attack surface. The lack of a CVSS score limits precise severity quantification, but the technical characteristics indicate a high risk. The vulnerability does not require authentication to exploit, and user interaction is limited to visiting the compromised page, increasing the likelihood of successful exploitation. The vulnerability was reserved and published in early 2026, but no patch links are currently available, indicating that remediation may still be pending or in progress.

For European organizations, this vulnerability can lead to significant security risks, particularly for SMEs and enterprises relying on the CM Business Directory plugin to manage public business listings. Exploitation could compromise the confidentiality of user data by stealing session cookies or credentials, leading to unauthorized access to user accounts or administrative functions. Integrity may be impacted through unauthorized content injection or defacement of business listings, damaging organizational reputation. Availability impact is generally low for XSS but could be leveraged in combination with other attacks to disrupt services. The stored nature of the XSS means multiple users can be affected once the malicious payload is injected, amplifying the impact. Organizations in Europe with high web traffic or sensitive customer data are at greater risk. Additionally, regulatory frameworks such as GDPR impose strict data protection requirements, and exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to compliance violations and associated penalties. The absence of known exploits in the wild suggests a window of opportunity for proactive mitigation before widespread attacks occur.

1. Monitor for official patches or updates from CreativeMindsSolutions and apply them immediately once available. 2. In the absence of patches, implement strict input validation on all user-supplied data fields within the CM Business Directory plugin, ensuring that scripts and HTML tags are sanitized or stripped. 3. Employ output encoding techniques to neutralize any potentially malicious content before rendering it in web pages, particularly in HTML, JavaScript, and attribute contexts. 4. Utilize Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules designed to detect and block XSS payloads targeting the plugin. 5. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focused on the plugin and its integration points. 6. Educate site administrators and users about the risks of XSS and encourage cautious handling of user-generated content. 7. Consider temporarily disabling or restricting the plugin’s public input features until a patch is applied. 8. Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts on affected pages. 9. Maintain comprehensive logging and monitoring to detect suspicious activities indicative of exploitation attempts.