CVE-2025-31922: CSS3 Accordions WordPress CSRF Vulnerability

CVE-2025-31922 Overview

CVE-2025-31922 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the CSS3 Accordions for WordPress plugin developed by QuanticaLabs. This security flaw allows attackers to chain CSRF with Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), enabling malicious actors to inject persistent scripts into WordPress sites when authenticated administrators are tricked into performing unintended actions.

Critical Impact

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to inject malicious JavaScript that persists on affected WordPress sites, potentially compromising administrator sessions, stealing credentials, defacing websites, or redirecting visitors to malicious content.

Affected Products

• CSS3 Accordions for WordPress plugin versions from n/a through <= 3.0
• WordPress installations using the vulnerable css3_accordions plugin
• Websites relying on CSS3 Accordions for content presentation

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-05-16 - CVE CVE-2025-31922 published to NVD
• 2026-04-23 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-31922

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability represents a chained attack combining Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) with Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS). The CSS3 Accordions for WordPress plugin fails to implement proper CSRF token validation on forms that handle user input, while simultaneously lacking adequate output sanitization. This allows attackers to craft malicious requests that, when executed by an authenticated administrator, inject persistent JavaScript code into the WordPress database.

The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that once malicious code is injected, it will execute in the browsers of all users who view the affected accordion content. This creates a significant risk as the attack payload persists across page loads and user sessions.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2025-31922 is twofold: the plugin does not verify the presence and validity of WordPress nonce tokens in state-changing requests, and it fails to properly sanitize and escape user-supplied input before storing it in the database and rendering it on the frontend. This combination of missing CSRF protection (CWE-352) and inadequate input validation creates the conditions for stored XSS attacks.

Attack Vector

The attack requires network access and user interaction. An attacker must craft a malicious HTML page or link containing a forged request that targets the vulnerable plugin endpoint. When an authenticated WordPress administrator visits the attacker-controlled page or clicks the malicious link, the forged request is executed with the administrator's session credentials. The request injects malicious JavaScript into accordion content, which is then stored in the database and served to all subsequent visitors.

The exploitation scenario typically involves:

1. Attacker identifies a WordPress site using CSS3 Accordions plugin version 3.0 or earlier
2. Attacker crafts a malicious page with a hidden form targeting the plugin's vulnerable endpoint
3. Attacker lures an authenticated site administrator to visit the malicious page
4. The forged request executes, storing XSS payload in the accordion content
5. All visitors viewing the affected accordion execute the malicious JavaScript

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-31922

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected or suspicious JavaScript code appearing in accordion content within the WordPress database
• Unusual administrative actions in WordPress audit logs, particularly modifications to accordion settings
• Reports of browser security warnings or unexpected redirects when viewing accordion content
• Presence of obfuscated or encoded script tags in wp_posts or plugin-specific database tables

Detection Strategies

• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block CSRF attack patterns targeting WordPress plugins
• Deploy file integrity monitoring to detect unauthorized changes to plugin files and database content
• Configure security plugins to alert on suspicious administrative activity or content modifications
• Review server access logs for unusual POST requests to the css3_accordions plugin endpoints

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable comprehensive WordPress audit logging to track all plugin configuration changes
• Monitor for outbound requests from the web server that could indicate XSS-based data exfiltration
• Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict script execution sources
• Regularly scan stored content for malicious JavaScript patterns using automated security tools

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-31922

Immediate Actions Required

• Deactivate the CSS3 Accordions for WordPress plugin until a patched version is available
• Audit existing accordion content for signs of injected malicious scripts
• Review WordPress user sessions and force re-authentication for all administrative accounts
• Implement additional CSRF protection at the web application firewall level

Patch Information

At the time of this writing, organizations should consult the Patchstack vulnerability database for the latest patch information and vendor advisories. Until an official patch is released, consider using alternative accordion plugins that have been audited for security vulnerabilities.

Workarounds

• Disable the CSS3 Accordions plugin entirely if accordion functionality is not critical
• Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to block malicious POST requests to plugin endpoints
• Restrict access to the WordPress admin panel by IP address to reduce the attack surface
• Use a security plugin that adds CSRF protection to all forms, including third-party plugin forms

# WordPress configuration hardening example
# Add to wp-config.php to enforce admin SSL and restrict file editing
define('FORCE_SSL_ADMIN', true);
define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true);

# Restrict admin access by IP (add to .htaccess)
# <Files wp-login.php>
#   Order Deny,Allow
#   Deny from all
#   Allow from YOUR.TRUSTED.IP.ADDRESS
# </Files>