CVE-2025-31597 Overview
CVE-2025-31597 is a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Ultimate Live Cricket WordPress Lite plugin developed by crazycric. The flaw affects all plugin versions up to and including 1.4.2. It stems from improper neutralization of user-supplied input during web page generation, classified under [CWE-79]. An authenticated attacker with low privileges can inject malicious script content that persists in stored data and executes in the browsers of users who view the affected pages.
Critical Impact
Stored XSS enables session hijacking, credential theft, and administrative account takeover through payloads that persist across WordPress page loads.
Affected Products
- Ultimate Live Cricket WordPress Lite plugin (ultimate-live-cricket-lite)
- All versions from n/a through 1.4.2
- WordPress sites with the vulnerable plugin installed and activated
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-03-31 - CVE-2025-31597 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-31597
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in input handling routines inside the Ultimate Live Cricket WordPress Lite plugin. User-supplied data is stored in the WordPress database without adequate sanitization or output encoding. When the affected pages render, the browser interprets the stored payload as executable JavaScript.
Stored XSS carries greater weight than reflected variants because the payload persists. Every visitor to the affected page triggers the payload, expanding attack reach without additional interaction from the attacker.
Because exploitation requires authentication and user interaction, the primary abuse pattern involves a contributor or editor-level account planting a payload that later executes in an administrator's session. This chain can escalate into full site takeover through nonce theft or account creation via the WordPress REST API.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing input sanitization on plugin input fields combined with unescaped output when the stored content is rendered. WordPress provides helper functions such as sanitize_text_field(), wp_kses_post(), and esc_html() that mitigate this class of flaw. The affected code paths in versions up to 1.4.2 fail to apply these consistently.
Attack Vector
An authenticated attacker submits crafted input containing HTML or JavaScript through a plugin-controlled field. The payload persists in the database. When a victim loads the affected front-end or admin page, the browser parses and executes the injected script under the site's origin. See the Patchstack XSS Vulnerability Report for the advisory details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-31597
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected <script>, onerror=, or javascript: fragments stored in WordPress wp_postmeta or plugin-specific tables
- Outbound requests from user browsers to unfamiliar domains after loading pages that render cricket plugin content
- New administrator accounts or modified user roles created without authorized workflow
- WordPress admin sessions terminated or hijacked shortly after viewing plugin-generated pages
Detection Strategies
- Query the WordPress database for stored HTML tags and event handler attributes within fields owned by the ultimate-live-cricket-lite plugin
- Enable a Content Security Policy (CSP) with reporting mode to surface script executions from unexpected sources
- Review web server access logs for POST requests to plugin endpoints from low-privileged accounts
- Correlate authentication events with subsequent privilege changes to identify session-based exploitation
Monitoring Recommendations
- Alert on plugin file modifications and unexpected changes to WordPress user roles and capabilities
- Monitor for anomalous JavaScript execution and DOM changes on pages that render plugin output
- Track creation of new administrator accounts and REST API calls originating from authenticated sessions viewing affected pages
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-31597
Immediate Actions Required
- Deactivate and remove the Ultimate Live Cricket WordPress Lite plugin until a patched version is confirmed available
- Audit stored plugin content for injected script tags and remove malicious entries
- Rotate credentials and invalidate active sessions for all WordPress users, prioritizing administrators
- Review recent user role changes and remove any unauthorized accounts
Patch Information
At the time of publication, the advisory lists affected versions from n/a through <= 1.4.2 with no fixed version identified in the referenced data. Consult the Patchstack XSS Vulnerability Report for the latest remediation status and upgrade guidance.
Workarounds
- Restrict plugin input access to trusted administrators only, revoking contributor and editor permissions where feasible
- Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) rule to block payloads containing <script>, onerror=, and other common XSS vectors targeting plugin endpoints
- Enforce a strict Content Security Policy that disallows inline scripts and limits script sources to trusted origins
- Remove the plugin entirely if cricket score functionality is not business-critical
# Example Content Security Policy header for Apache/Nginx
# Blocks inline scripts commonly used in stored XSS payloads
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.