CVE-2025-24585 Overview
CVE-2025-24585 is a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Bastien Ho Event post WordPress plugin. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 5.9.7. The plugin fails to properly neutralize user-supplied input during web page generation, allowing authenticated attackers with low privileges to inject persistent JavaScript payloads. Stored payloads execute in the browsers of users who visit affected pages, enabling session theft, content manipulation, and redirection to attacker-controlled infrastructure. The issue is tracked under CWE-79 and was published to the National Vulnerability Database on January 24, 2025.
Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can inject persistent JavaScript that executes in other users' browsers, including administrators, on any page rendering the malicious event content.
Affected Products
- Bastien Ho Event post plugin for WordPress
- All versions from initial release through 5.9.7
- WordPress sites using the vulnerable plugin with contributor-level or higher access enabled
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-01-24 - CVE-2025-24585 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in the NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-24585
Vulnerability Analysis
The Event post plugin accepts input intended for event content and stores it in the WordPress database without adequate sanitization or output encoding. When the stored data is later rendered in a page or administrative view, the browser interprets attacker-controlled markup as executable script. This is a classic stored XSS pattern where the injection point and the execution context are separated in time and often in user session.
The scope change component in the vulnerability metadata indicates the injected script executes in a security context different from the vulnerable component. In WordPress, that typically means script authored by a low-privileged contributor runs in the browser of an administrator viewing the post, submission queue, or event listing.
User interaction is required for exploitation, as a victim must load the page containing the stored payload. However, this requirement is trivially satisfied in normal editorial workflows.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper neutralization of input during web page generation. The plugin does not apply WordPress sanitization helpers such as wp_kses_post(), sanitize_text_field(), or output-encoding functions like esc_html() and esc_attr() to fields controlled by contributors. HTML and JavaScript submitted through event fields persist verbatim in the database and are echoed to the response body.
Attack Vector
An authenticated user with permission to create or edit events submits an event containing a JavaScript payload in a vulnerable field. The payload is stored in the database. When any user, including an administrator, views the event page or a listing that renders the event content, the script executes with the privileges of that user's browser session. The attacker can hijack the session, add rogue administrator accounts, exfiltrate nonces, or pivot to further plugin abuse.
Refer to the Patchstack XSS Vulnerability Report for additional technical detail.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-24585
Indicators of Compromise
- Event post entries containing <script> tags, on* event handlers, or javascript: URIs in title, description, or metadata fields
- Unexpected administrator accounts created shortly after an authenticated user submitted or edited event content
- Outbound requests from administrator browsers to unfamiliar domains when viewing the WordPress admin dashboard
- WordPress database rows in wp_posts or wp_postmeta associated with the plugin containing encoded payloads such as <script> or base64-wrapped JavaScript
Detection Strategies
- Query the WordPress database for plugin-owned post types and search content columns for HTML tags disallowed by editorial policy
- Deploy a web application firewall rule that inspects POST parameters for event submission endpoints and blocks script constructs
- Enable a strict Content Security Policy on the WordPress site and monitor CSP violation reports for injection attempts
Monitoring Recommendations
- Audit WordPress user roles regularly and alert on new users with administrator or editor capabilities
- Log and review all contributor and author submissions to plugin-managed content before publication
- Monitor the plugin repository page and the Patchstack advisory for patched versions
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-24585
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the Event post plugin to a version above 5.9.7 once the vendor releases a fix
- Restrict who can create or edit events to trusted user accounts only
- Audit existing event content for embedded script or event handler attributes and remove malicious entries
- Force password resets and invalidate active sessions for administrators who may have viewed injected content
Patch Information
At the time of the NVD entry, the advisory identifies all versions through 5.9.7 as affected. Consult the Patchstack advisory and the plugin's WordPress.org listing for the current fixed release. Apply the patched version across all WordPress environments including staging and disaster recovery instances.
Workarounds
- Deactivate and remove the Event post plugin until a patched version is available
- Deploy a web application firewall rule blocking script tags and event handler attributes on plugin submission endpoints
- Enforce a strict Content Security Policy that disallows inline script execution on WordPress admin and public pages
- Limit contributor and author roles to a minimum set of trusted users and require editorial review before publishing event content
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
