CVE-2025-23750 Overview
CVE-2025-23750 is a reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the devbunchuk Custom Widget Creator WordPress plugin. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 1.0.5. The plugin fails to properly neutralize user-supplied input during web page generation, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary JavaScript into responses rendered by the victim's browser. The issue is tracked under CWE-79 and was published to the National Vulnerability Database on February 14, 2025.
Critical Impact
An unauthenticated attacker can execute arbitrary JavaScript in a victim's browser session by tricking the user into clicking a crafted link, potentially leading to session theft or administrative account takeover.
Affected Products
- devbunchuk Custom Widget Creator plugin for WordPress
- All versions from n/a through 1.0.5
- WordPress sites with the custom-widget-creator plugin installed and active
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-02-14 - CVE-2025-23750 published to NVD
- 2026-04-23 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-23750
Vulnerability Analysis
The Custom Widget Creator plugin reflects user-controlled input back into HTTP responses without applying adequate output encoding or input sanitization. An attacker crafts a malicious URL containing JavaScript payloads in request parameters processed by the plugin. When a victim with an authenticated WordPress session visits the link, the injected script executes within the origin of the target WordPress site.
Because the CVSS vector indicates a scope change, the injected script can affect resources beyond the vulnerable component itself, including session cookies, the WordPress administrative interface, and other authenticated functionality. User interaction is required, making phishing and social engineering the primary delivery mechanisms.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper neutralization of input during web page generation, classified under CWE-79. The plugin echoes request parameters into HTML output without applying WordPress sanitization functions such as esc_html(), esc_attr(), or wp_kses(). This allows attacker-controlled markup and script tags to render as active content.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires no authentication or privileges. The attacker delivers a crafted URL through email, chat, social media, or a malicious website. When the victim clicks the link while authenticated to the vulnerable WordPress site, the browser submits the request, the plugin reflects the payload, and the script executes in the victim's session context.
No verified public proof-of-concept code is available. Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for additional technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-23750
Indicators of Compromise
- HTTP requests to custom-widget-creator plugin endpoints containing URL-encoded <script>, javascript:, or HTML event handler payloads such as onerror= or onload=.
- Web server access logs showing unusually long query strings or encoded angle brackets (%3C, %3E) targeting plugin parameters.
- Outbound requests from administrator browsers to attacker-controlled domains shortly after clicking external links.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect WordPress access logs for GET or POST parameters containing reflected XSS payload patterns directed at the Custom Widget Creator plugin paths.
- Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) ruleset that flags reflected XSS signatures, including OWASP CRS rules 941100-941370.
- Correlate administrator session anomalies, such as new user creation or unexpected plugin installation, with prior inbound URL clicks.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor WordPress audit logs for administrative actions originating from unusual IP addresses or user agents.
- Alert on outbound connections from browser processes to newly registered or low-reputation domains after WordPress admin logins.
- Track plugin version inventory across WordPress deployments to identify hosts still running custom-widget-creator at 1.0.5 or earlier.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-23750
Immediate Actions Required
- Deactivate and remove the Custom Widget Creator plugin from all WordPress installations until a patched version is published.
- Audit WordPress administrator accounts for unauthorized changes, including new users, modified roles, and injected content.
- Force password resets and invalidate active sessions for any accounts that may have visited crafted links.
Patch Information
At the time of NVD publication, no fixed version was identified beyond 1.0.5. Consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for the latest vendor remediation status and apply any subsequent updates released by devbunchuk.
Workarounds
- Remove the custom-widget-creator plugin entirely if a patched release is not available.
- Deploy WAF rules to block requests containing reflected XSS payloads targeting plugin parameters.
- Apply a strict Content Security Policy (CSP) that disallows inline scripts and restricts script sources to trusted origins.
- Train administrators to avoid clicking unsolicited links pointing to their own WordPress hostnames.
# Example: remove the vulnerable plugin via WP-CLI
wp plugin deactivate custom-widget-creator
wp plugin delete custom-widget-creator
# Example: add a restrictive Content-Security-Policy header in Apache
Header set Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'; object-src 'none'; base-uri 'self'"
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
