CVE-2025-24719 Overview
CVE-2025-24719 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the wpdevart Widget Countdown plugin for WordPress. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 2.7.1. An authenticated attacker with low-level privileges can inject malicious JavaScript that persists in the site and executes in visitors' browsers when they load an affected page. The issue is tracked under CWE-79 for Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation. The vulnerability requires user interaction and can affect components beyond the vulnerable plugin due to a scope change.
Critical Impact
Stored JavaScript payloads execute in the context of site visitors and administrators, enabling session theft, forced administrative actions, and site defacement.
Affected Products
- wpdevart Widget Countdown plugin for WordPress
- All versions from n/a through 2.7.1
- WordPress sites running the vulnerable widget-countdown plugin
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-01-24 - CVE-2025-24719 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-24719
Vulnerability Analysis
The Widget Countdown plugin fails to properly neutralize user-supplied input before rendering it in generated web pages. An authenticated user with permission to configure the countdown widget can supply crafted input containing HTML or JavaScript. The plugin stores this input and later reflects it into the page output without adequate escaping or sanitization. When any user loads a page containing the widget, the browser parses and executes the injected script in the site's origin.
Because the CVSS vector indicates a scope change, injected script running in the WordPress front end can act on resources outside the vulnerable component's security authority. This includes session cookies, authenticated administrative endpoints, and other browser-accessible data belonging to the WordPress site.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing output encoding on stored plugin fields. The plugin trusts values previously written to the database by authenticated users and emits them into HTML contexts without applying WordPress escaping functions such as esc_html(), esc_attr(), or wp_kses(). This classic stored XSS pattern [CWE-79] persists the payload until an administrator removes it.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires network access to the WordPress site and a low-privilege authenticated account that can edit widget settings. The attacker submits a crafted payload through the widget configuration interface. The stored payload triggers when any visitor, including administrators, loads a page displaying the countdown widget. Successful exploitation can lead to account takeover, cookie theft, or unauthorized actions performed in the victim's session. See the Patchstack XSS Vulnerability Report for additional context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-24719
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected <script> tags, on* event handlers, or javascript: URIs stored in Widget Countdown configuration fields within the wp_options or plugin-specific database tables.
- Outbound browser requests from site visitors to attacker-controlled domains sourced from pages rendering the countdown widget.
- New or modified WordPress administrator accounts created shortly after an admin session loaded a page containing the widget.
Detection Strategies
- Audit the widget-countdown plugin settings in the database for HTML or script content that should not appear in a countdown label or configuration string.
- Enable a Content Security Policy (CSP) in report-only mode to surface inline script violations originating from plugin-rendered markup.
- Review web server logs for POST requests to wp-admin/admin.php and widget configuration endpoints from unexpected user accounts.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor WordPress user role changes and privilege escalations following widget configuration events.
- Correlate authentication logs with plugin configuration changes to identify low-privilege accounts modifying widget content.
- Track browser-generated errors and CSP violation reports for indicators of injected scripts executing on public pages.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-24719
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the Widget Countdown plugin to a version later than 2.7.1 once the vendor publishes a fix.
- Restrict widget configuration privileges to trusted administrators only, and audit existing users with editing rights.
- Inspect all Widget Countdown configuration fields for stored payloads and remove any suspicious HTML or script content.
Patch Information
At the time of publication, the Patchstack advisory lists the vulnerability as affecting versions through 2.7.1. Administrators should consult the WordPress plugin repository and vendor advisories for the current patched release and apply it as soon as available.
Workarounds
- Deactivate the Widget Countdown plugin until a patched version is installed if the widget is not essential.
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to filter script tags and event handlers submitted to widget configuration endpoints.
- Enforce a strict Content Security Policy that disallows inline scripts to reduce the impact of stored XSS payloads.
# Example WP-CLI commands to disable the vulnerable plugin
wp plugin deactivate widget-countdown
wp plugin status widget-countdown
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
