CVE-2025-22515 Overview
CVE-2025-22515 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Simon Show Google Analytics widget WordPress plugin (show-google-analytics-widget). The flaw affects all plugin versions up to and including 1.5.4. It results from improper neutralization of user-supplied input during web page generation, classified under [CWE-79]. An authenticated attacker with low privileges can inject persistent malicious scripts that execute in the browser of any user who views the affected page.
Critical Impact
Attackers with low-privileged WordPress accounts can store malicious JavaScript that runs in administrator sessions, enabling session theft, forced administrative actions, and defacement.
Affected Products
- Simon Show Google Analytics widget plugin for WordPress
- All versions from n/a through 1.5.4
- WordPress sites running the vulnerable show-google-analytics-widget plugin
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-01-07 - CVE-2025-22515 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-22515
Vulnerability Analysis
The Show Google Analytics widget plugin fails to sanitize input before rendering it inside generated WordPress pages. Because the injected payload persists in the site database, every visitor loading the affected page executes the attacker's script. This behavior places the issue in the stored XSS category [CWE-79].
Exploitation requires an authenticated session with at least contributor-level access and a victim interaction, such as an administrator viewing the widget configuration or a rendered post. The scope is marked as changed, meaning the injected script executes in the security context of the WordPress admin origin rather than the attacker's own.
Root Cause
The plugin accepts widget configuration values and outputs them into HTML without applying WordPress escaping functions such as esc_html(), esc_attr(), or wp_kses(). Any HTML or JavaScript supplied by an authenticated user is rendered verbatim, allowing arbitrary DOM manipulation and script execution.
Attack Vector
An attacker with a low-privileged WordPress account submits a payload containing script tags or event handlers through a widget field controlled by the plugin. The payload is stored in the WordPress options or post metadata tables. When an administrator or site visitor loads the page hosting the widget, the browser parses and executes the injected code. Consequences include session hijacking via cookie theft, forced privilege escalation through admin-side actions, and delivery of secondary payloads to end users.
No verified proof-of-concept code is publicly available. See the Patchstack XSS Vulnerability Report for advisory details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-22515
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected <script> tags, onerror, or onload attributes stored in WordPress wp_options entries related to the Show Google Analytics widget
- Outbound requests from administrator browsers to unfamiliar domains immediately after loading pages containing the widget
- New or modified WordPress administrator accounts created shortly after widget configuration changes
Detection Strategies
- Audit the plugin's stored configuration values for HTML markup, JavaScript keywords, and URL-encoded payloads
- Review web server access logs for POST requests to wp-admin/admin.php or widget configuration endpoints from low-privileged accounts
- Deploy Content Security Policy (CSP) reporting to capture blocked inline script execution attempts on WordPress pages
Monitoring Recommendations
- Track WordPress plugin inventory to identify any installation of show-google-analytics-widget at or below version 1.5.4
- Monitor administrator session activity for anomalous API calls, particularly user creation and role modification events
- Correlate browser telemetry from administrator endpoints with WordPress admin panel access to identify script-driven actions
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-22515
Immediate Actions Required
- Identify all WordPress installations running the Show Google Analytics widget plugin version 1.5.4 or earlier
- Deactivate and remove the plugin until a patched release is verified as installed
- Rotate WordPress administrator credentials and invalidate active sessions if the plugin was in use
- Review the WordPress options table and widget settings for any injected HTML or JavaScript content
Patch Information
At the time of NVD publication, no fixed version had been referenced in the enriched CVE data. Consult the Patchstack XSS Vulnerability Report for the latest vendor remediation status and to confirm whether a patched release beyond 1.5.4 is available.
Workarounds
- Uninstall the show-google-analytics-widget plugin and replace it with a maintained Google Analytics integration
- Restrict widget and plugin configuration privileges to trusted administrator accounts only
- Enforce a strict Content Security Policy that blocks inline scripts on WordPress administrative and public pages
- Deploy a web application firewall rule set that filters HTML and JavaScript payloads submitted through widget configuration endpoints
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.