CVE-2025-24681 Overview
CVE-2025-24681 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the wpWax Product Carousel Slider & Grid Ultimate for WooCommerce plugin. The flaw affects all plugin versions up to and including 1.10.0. Authenticated attackers with high privileges can inject persistent JavaScript payloads that execute in the browsers of users viewing affected WordPress pages. The vulnerability is tracked under CWE-79 for improper neutralization of input during web page generation. Exploitation requires user interaction and produces a scope change, allowing script execution across trusted origins.
Critical Impact
Stored XSS enables attackers to hijack administrator sessions, alter WooCommerce store content, and pivot to further WordPress compromise through persistent browser-executed payloads.
Affected Products
- wpWax Product Carousel Slider & Grid Ultimate for WooCommerce plugin
- Versions from n/a through 1.10.0
- WordPress sites running WooCommerce with the affected plugin installed
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-01-24 - CVE-2025-24681 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-24681
Vulnerability Analysis
The plugin fails to properly neutralize user-supplied input before rendering it within generated WordPress pages. An authenticated attacker with elevated privileges can inject malicious JavaScript into plugin fields, such as carousel or grid configuration values. The payload is persisted in the WordPress database and executed whenever a victim loads a page containing the affected component.
Because the vulnerability produces a scope change, injected scripts execute in the context of the WordPress site and can access authenticated session data. Successful exploitation requires the victim to interact with the compromised content, typically by visiting a page rendering the carousel or grid.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing or insufficient output encoding on plugin-controlled fields rendered into HTML. Input passed through administrative interfaces is stored without adequate sanitization and later echoed into the DOM without escaping. This aligns with the CWE-79 pattern for stored XSS.
Attack Vector
An attacker with high-privilege access, such as an editor or administrator account obtained through credential compromise or account takeover, submits crafted input containing HTML or JavaScript into plugin configuration fields. The stored payload triggers when any authenticated user or site visitor loads a page that renders the affected carousel or grid element. Because the network attack vector applies, the injection can be delivered remotely without local access.
For technical details, see the Patchstack Vulnerability Report.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-24681
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected <script> tags, javascript: URIs, or event handler attributes (onerror, onload) stored in WooCommerce product metadata or plugin option tables
- Outbound requests from browsers viewing store pages to unknown external domains
- Unauthorized changes to administrator accounts, plugin settings, or WordPress user roles following page views
- New or modified entries in wp_options or wp_postmeta tied to the Product Carousel Slider & Grid Ultimate plugin
Detection Strategies
- Scan the WordPress database for HTML or JavaScript characters in fields owned by the woo-product-carousel-slider-and-grid-ultimate plugin
- Review WordPress audit logs for high-privilege users editing carousel or grid configurations
- Deploy Content Security Policy (CSP) reporting to surface inline script execution violations
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor privileged WordPress accounts for anomalous login times, IP addresses, and configuration changes
- Alert on modifications to plugin settings shortly after new administrator logins
- Log and review outbound HTTP requests from site visitors to identify data exfiltration paths
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-24681
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the Product Carousel Slider & Grid Ultimate for WooCommerce plugin to a version later than 1.10.0 as soon as a patched release is available
- Audit high-privilege WordPress accounts and reset credentials for editor and administrator roles
- Inspect existing carousel and grid configurations for malicious content and remove any injected payloads
Patch Information
At time of publication, the vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.10.0. Consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for the current patched version and vendor guidance.
Workarounds
- Deactivate the Product Carousel Slider & Grid Ultimate for WooCommerce plugin until a fixed release is deployed
- Restrict administrative access to trusted IP ranges and enforce multi-factor authentication on all high-privilege WordPress accounts
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule set to block XSS payloads targeting WordPress plugin endpoints
- Apply a strict Content Security Policy that disallows inline scripts and untrusted script sources
# Example CSP header for WordPress (adjust for your environment)
Header set Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'; object-src 'none'; base-uri 'self'; frame-ancestors 'self'"
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
