CVE-2025-22268 Overview
CVE-2025-22268 is a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Uncanny Owl Uncanny Toolkit for LearnDash WordPress plugin. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 3.7.0.1. Attackers with low-privileged authenticated access can inject malicious scripts that persist in the application and execute when other users, including administrators, view affected pages. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 for improper neutralization of input during web page generation.
Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can inject persistent JavaScript payloads that execute in victim browsers, enabling session theft, administrative account compromise, and unauthorized actions across the WordPress site.
Affected Products
- Uncanny Owl Uncanny Toolkit for LearnDash (uncanny-learndash-toolkit)
- All versions from n/a through 3.7.0.1
- WordPress installations with the plugin enabled
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-04-15 - CVE-2025-22268 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-22268
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) flaw within the Uncanny Toolkit for LearnDash plugin. The plugin extends LearnDash learning management system (LMS) functionality on WordPress sites. The affected code paths accept user-supplied input and persist that input to the database without sufficient sanitization or output encoding. When the stored data renders in a browser context, injected script content executes with the privileges of the viewing user.
Exploitation requires an attacker to hold a low-privileged authenticated account on the target WordPress site. The scope change indicated in the CVSS assessment reflects that injected scripts execute in the browser context of other users, crossing the initial authorization boundary of the attacker.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper neutralization of input during web page generation, tracked as CWE-79. Input accepted through plugin-exposed fields is not escaped or sanitized before being stored and later rendered in HTML output. WordPress provides sanitization helpers such as wp_kses_post(), esc_html(), and esc_attr(), but the affected code paths in versions up to 3.7.0.1 do not apply appropriate escaping.
Attack Vector
An authenticated attacker submits a crafted payload containing JavaScript through an input field exposed by the Uncanny Toolkit for LearnDash plugin. The payload is written to the WordPress database. When a victim, such as a course administrator or another authenticated user, loads the page that renders the stored content, the browser executes the injected script. User interaction is required to trigger the payload, and the impact scales with the privileges of the viewing user.
No verified public proof-of-concept exploit code is available. See the Patchstack advisory for additional technical detail.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-22268
Indicators of Compromise
- Presence of <script>, onerror=, onload=, or javascript: strings in wp_posts, wp_postmeta, or plugin-specific tables tied to Uncanny Toolkit content
- Unexpected outbound HTTP requests from administrator browsers to unfamiliar domains after visiting plugin-managed pages
- New or modified WordPress administrator accounts following interaction with plugin-generated content
- Uncanny Toolkit for LearnDash plugin version at or below 3.7.0.1 in active use
Detection Strategies
- Audit database entries associated with plugin fields for HTML tags or event handler attributes that should not appear in user-supplied text
- Review web server access logs for POST requests to plugin endpoints containing URL-encoded script payloads such as %3Cscript%3E
- Deploy Content Security Policy (CSP) reporting to capture inline script violations originating on pages rendered by the plugin
- Monitor WordPress user, role, and options tables for unauthorized changes following plugin usage
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable WordPress audit logging to record content creation and edits by lower-privileged roles interacting with the plugin
- Alert on administrator sessions that generate outbound requests to domains outside the site's normal profile
- Track plugin version inventory across managed WordPress sites and flag installations pinned to vulnerable releases
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-22268
Immediate Actions Required
- Identify all WordPress sites running Uncanny Toolkit for LearnDash at version 3.7.0.1 or earlier
- Upgrade the plugin to a patched release above 3.7.0.1 as published by Uncanny Owl
- Review recent content created by non-administrative users for injected HTML or script fragments and remove malicious entries
- Rotate administrator credentials and invalidate active sessions if evidence of exploitation is present
Patch Information
Refer to the Patchstack advisory for patch availability and the fixed version. Uncanny Owl addresses the issue in a release subsequent to 3.7.0.1. Apply the update through the WordPress plugin manager or by replacing plugin files via SFTP.
Workarounds
- Restrict which user roles can interact with Uncanny Toolkit input fields until the patched version is deployed
- Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) rule that blocks POST payloads containing <script, onerror=, or javascript: targeting plugin endpoints
- Enforce a strict Content Security Policy that disallows inline scripts on pages rendered by the plugin
- Temporarily deactivate the plugin on sites where LearnDash toolkit functionality is not business-critical
# Configuration example: identify vulnerable plugin installations via WP-CLI
wp plugin get uncanny-learndash-toolkit --field=version
wp plugin update uncanny-learndash-toolkit
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
