CVE-2025-31778 Overview
CVE-2025-31778 is a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the raphaelheide Donate Me WordPress plugin. The flaw stems from improper neutralization of user-supplied input during web page generation [CWE-79]. It affects all versions of Donate Me from unspecified initial releases through and including 1.2.5.
An attacker can craft a malicious URL containing JavaScript payloads that execute in the victim's browser when the link is clicked. Successful exploitation requires user interaction and low-privileged authenticated context, and it can lead to session data theft, defacement, or forced actions against the target application.
Critical Impact
Attackers can execute arbitrary JavaScript in the browsers of users who click a crafted link, enabling session theft and account takeover within the affected WordPress site.
Affected Products
- raphaelheide Donate Me WordPress plugin
- All versions up to and including 1.2.5
- WordPress sites with the Donate Me plugin installed and active
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-04-01 - CVE-2025-31778 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in the NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-31778
Vulnerability Analysis
The Donate Me plugin fails to properly sanitize or encode input before reflecting it back into HTTP responses. When a user clicks a crafted URL, the attacker-controlled payload is embedded directly into the generated HTML, where the browser interprets it as executable script.
The vulnerability requires user interaction and produces a scope change, meaning script execution can affect resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. Confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts are limited but non-zero, consistent with a reflected XSS pattern in a WordPress plugin context.
Root Cause
The root cause is a missing output-encoding or input-sanitization step in one of the plugin's request handlers. User-supplied parameters are echoed back into HTML responses without contextual escaping. WordPress provides sanitization helpers such as esc_html(), esc_attr(), and wp_kses(), but the vulnerable code paths in Donate Me 1.2.5 and earlier do not apply them consistently.
Attack Vector
Exploitation is network-based and requires a low-privileged authenticated session plus user interaction. An attacker typically delivers a crafted link through phishing, forum posts, or social media. When a logged-in WordPress user clicks the link, the reflected payload runs in the origin of the vulnerable site.
The attacker can steal authentication cookies not marked HttpOnly, perform actions on behalf of the victim, inject rogue forms to harvest credentials, or pivot toward administrative endpoints if a privileged user is targeted.
No verified public proof-of-concept code is available. Technical details are described in the Patchstack Vulnerability Report.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-31778
Indicators of Compromise
- HTTP requests to Donate Me plugin endpoints containing URL-encoded <script>, onerror=, javascript:, or onload= payloads
- Unusual Referer values pointing to attacker-controlled domains preceding requests to the plugin
- Web server access logs showing long, encoded query strings targeting Donate Me parameters
- Unexpected outbound requests from user browsers to unfamiliar domains following visits to the site
Detection Strategies
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) ruleset that flags reflected XSS patterns in query strings and form submissions to WordPress plugin paths
- Enable WordPress audit logging to capture parameter values submitted to Donate Me handlers
- Correlate authenticated user sessions with anomalous JavaScript-bearing URL parameters in access logs
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor the WordPress plugin inventory for installations of Donate Me at or below version 1.2.5
- Alert on Content Security Policy (CSP) violation reports originating from pages that render Donate Me output
- Track administrator and editor account activity for unexpected session changes shortly after clicking external links
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-31778
Immediate Actions Required
- Identify all WordPress sites running the Donate Me plugin and confirm the installed version
- Deactivate and remove the Donate Me plugin if a fixed version is not available for your environment
- Rotate session cookies and force re-authentication for administrators and editors on affected sites
- Apply a restrictive Content Security Policy to limit inline script execution on pages served by the plugin
Patch Information
The advisory lists affected versions from unspecified initial releases through and including 1.2.5. Consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for the latest patch status and upgrade guidance from the plugin maintainer.
Workarounds
- Disable the Donate Me plugin until a patched version is confirmed available
- Deploy virtual patching via a WAF rule that blocks reflected XSS payloads directed at Donate Me endpoints
- Enforce HttpOnly and Secure flags on WordPress authentication cookies to reduce cookie theft risk
- Restrict low-privileged account creation and require multi-factor authentication for privileged users
# Example: WordPress WP-CLI commands to identify and deactivate the vulnerable plugin
wp plugin list --name=donate-me --fields=name,status,version
wp plugin deactivate donate-me
wp plugin delete donate-me
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
