CVE-2025-0507 Overview
CVE-2025-0507 is a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Ticketmeo – Sell Tickets – Event Ticketing plugin for WordPress. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 2.3.6. It stems from insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user-supplied attributes passed to the plugin's shortcodes. Authenticated attackers with contributor-level access or above can inject arbitrary web scripts into pages. The injected scripts execute in the browser of any user who visits an affected page. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation.
Critical Impact
Authenticated contributors can inject persistent JavaScript that runs in visitors' browsers, enabling session theft, administrative action forgery, and site defacement.
Affected Products
- Ticketmeo – Sell Tickets – Event Ticketing plugin for WordPress (all versions ≤ 2.3.6)
- WordPress sites using the ploxel plugin package
- Sites permitting contributor-level or higher user registration
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-01-31 - CVE-2025-0507 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-0507
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in the plugin's shortcode handling logic. WordPress shortcodes accept user-supplied attributes that authors embed inside post and page content. The Ticketmeo plugin renders these attribute values into HTML output without applying sufficient sanitization or escaping routines.
An authenticated attacker with contributor privileges can craft a post containing a plugin shortcode with malicious attribute values. When the post is rendered, the injected script executes in the context of the site's origin. The scope change indicated by the CVSS vector reflects that the executed script affects users beyond the attacker's own privilege boundary.
Because contributor accounts on many WordPress sites are provisioned through open registration or low-friction workflows, the exploitation prerequisites are limited. Successful exploitation can yield session token theft, forced administrator actions through the WordPress REST API, or redirection of site visitors to attacker-controlled infrastructure.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing calls to WordPress sanitization functions such as sanitize_text_field() on inbound shortcode attributes, combined with absent output escaping helpers like esc_attr() or esc_html() when the plugin emits the rendered markup. The relevant source is referenced in the Ticketmeo plugin source at ploxel.php line 49.
Attack Vector
Exploitation follows a standard stored XSS pattern. The attacker authenticates as a contributor, creates or edits a post that embeds a vulnerable Ticketmeo shortcode, and supplies a JavaScript payload inside one of the shortcode attributes. After the post is submitted for review or otherwise viewed, the payload is stored in the WordPress database. When any user renders the page, the browser parses and executes the injected script under the site's origin.
The vulnerability requires network access to the WordPress admin interface, low privileges, and no user interaction beyond viewing the affected page. See the Wordfence vulnerability report for additional analysis.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-0507
Indicators of Compromise
- Posts or pages containing Ticketmeo shortcodes with attribute values that include <script>, onerror=, onload=, or javascript: tokens
- Unexpected outbound HTTP requests originating from browsers viewing pages authored by contributor accounts
- New or modified administrator accounts created shortly after contributor content is published
- Rendered HTML source containing unescaped angle brackets or event handlers inside shortcode output
Detection Strategies
- Query the wp_posts table for post content matching Ticketmeo shortcode patterns and inspect attribute values for HTML control characters
- Review web server access logs for requests to attacker-controlled domains referenced from pages served by the affected site
- Enable WordPress audit logging to capture post creation and revision events tied to contributor-tier accounts
Monitoring Recommendations
- Alert on creation of contributor or higher accounts followed by immediate post publication activity
- Monitor for Content Security Policy (CSP) violations reported by site visitors' browsers
- Track plugin version inventory across managed WordPress sites and flag installations of Ticketmeo at version 2.3.6 or earlier
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-0507
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade the Ticketmeo – Sell Tickets – Event Ticketing plugin to a version released after 2.3.6
- Audit contributor and author accounts, removing any that are unrecognized or unnecessary
- Review recently created or modified posts for Ticketmeo shortcodes containing suspicious attribute values
- Rotate administrator session cookies and force password resets if injection is confirmed
Patch Information
The vendor addressed the sanitization gap in a subsequent release, referenced in the WordPress plugin changeset 3231203. Administrators should update through the WordPress plugin dashboard or by deploying the patched archive from the plugin repository.
Workarounds
- Restrict contributor and author role assignment until the patched plugin version is deployed
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule that inspects shortcode attribute payloads for HTML and JavaScript control characters
- Implement a strict Content Security Policy that disallows inline script execution on public site pages
- Temporarily deactivate the Ticketmeo plugin on sites that cannot immediately upgrade
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
