CVE-2025-31741: Easy Magazine DOM-Based XSS Vulnerability

CVE-2025-31741 Overview

CVE-2025-31741 is a DOM-based Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Filtr8 Easy Magazine WordPress plugin (filtr8-magazine). The flaw affects all versions up to and including 2.1.13 and stems from improper neutralization of input during web page generation [CWE-79].

An authenticated attacker with low privileges can inject malicious client-side script that executes within a victim's browser after user interaction. The scope-changed impact means the injected script can affect resources beyond the vulnerable component, including other authenticated sessions.

Critical Impact
Attackers can execute arbitrary JavaScript in the browser context of site users, enabling session theft, credential harvesting, and administrative account takeover through crafted DOM manipulation.

Affected Products

Filtr8 Easy Magazine WordPress plugin (filtr8-magazine)
All versions from initial release through 2.1.13
WordPress installations using the vulnerable plugin

Discovery Timeline

2025-04-01 - CVE-2025-31741 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-31741

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a DOM-based XSS flaw in the Easy Magazine plugin for WordPress. Client-side JavaScript in the plugin processes attacker-controlled input and writes it into the Document Object Model without proper sanitization or output encoding.

Unlike reflected or stored XSS, DOM-based XSS executes entirely within the browser. The malicious payload never needs to reach the server in a sanitized form, which makes server-side web application firewall (WAF) rules less effective at blocking exploitation.

Exploitation requires user interaction, such as clicking a crafted link or loading a manipulated page. The attacker must also hold at least low-level authenticated privileges on the target WordPress site.

Root Cause

The plugin fails to properly neutralize untrusted data before inserting it into DOM sinks such as innerHTML, document.write, or similar JavaScript execution contexts. This maps to [CWE-79]: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation.

Attack Vector

An authenticated attacker crafts a URL or input that, when processed by client-side plugin code, causes JavaScript execution in the victim's browser session. The scope-changed CVSS metric indicates the payload can escape the plugin's security boundary and affect the broader WordPress application context.

Refer to the Patchstack XSS Vulnerability Report for additional technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-31741

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected <script> tags, javascript: URIs, or event handlers such as onerror and onload in plugin-generated content
Outbound browser requests to unfamiliar domains originating from authenticated WordPress sessions
WordPress administrator accounts created or modified without corresponding admin activity in audit logs

Detection Strategies

Inventory WordPress installations and identify sites running filtr8-magazine version 2.1.13 or earlier
Monitor web server logs for suspicious query strings and URL fragments containing encoded script payloads
Deploy Content Security Policy (CSP) violation reporting to surface unexpected inline script execution

Monitoring Recommendations

Correlate WordPress authentication events with session anomalies such as unusual IP addresses or geolocation changes
Alert on new administrative role assignments or plugin configuration changes
Enable browser-side telemetry to identify DOM mutations from untrusted sources within admin sessions

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-31741

Immediate Actions Required

Identify all WordPress sites running Easy Magazine filtr8-magazine version 2.1.13 or earlier
Deactivate the Easy Magazine plugin until a vendor-supplied patched version becomes available
Rotate credentials and invalidate active sessions for privileged WordPress users

Patch Information

At the time of publication, no fixed version has been referenced in the NVD entry beyond confirmation that the issue affects versions through 2.1.13. Consult the Patchstack advisory for current remediation status and monitor the WordPress.org plugin repository for updates.

Workarounds

Remove or deactivate the filtr8-magazine plugin until an official patch is released
Enforce a strict Content Security Policy that disallows inline scripts and restricts trusted script sources
Restrict low-privilege user account creation and audit existing accounts for necessity
Deploy a web application firewall with rules targeting common XSS payload patterns for defense-in-depth

bash

# Locate and disable the vulnerable plugin via WP-CLI
wp plugin list --name=filtr8-magazine --fields=name,status,version
wp plugin deactivate filtr8-magazine