CVE-2025-46229 Overview
CVE-2025-46229 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Textmetrics (webtexttool) plugin for WordPress. The flaw stems from improper neutralization of user-supplied input during web page generation [CWE-79]. An authenticated attacker with high privileges can inject persistent JavaScript payloads that execute in the browsers of other users who load the affected page. All versions of the Textmetrics plugin up to and including 3.6.2 are affected.
Critical Impact
Stored XSS enables session-scoped script execution against administrators or editors, which can lead to account takeover, content tampering, or pivoting into the WordPress backend.
Affected Products
- Textmetrics (webtexttool) WordPress plugin versions up to and including 3.6.2
- WordPress sites with the Textmetrics plugin installed and activated
- Multisite WordPress deployments running the vulnerable plugin
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-04-22 - CVE-2025-46229 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-46229
Vulnerability Analysis
The Textmetrics plugin fails to sanitize or encode input before rendering it into HTML output. When a privileged user submits content through an affected plugin interface, the payload is stored server-side and later served to any user who views the rendered page. Because the payload persists in the database, it triggers on every page load until removed.
The scope change indicated by the vulnerability metadata reflects that injected script executes in the security context of the WordPress admin origin. This lets an attacker manipulate other authenticated sessions from a lower-integrity input surface. User interaction is required — a victim must load the affected page — but no additional exploitation primitives are needed.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing output encoding and input sanitization in the plugin's data handling paths. Fields intended for text content accept HTML and JavaScript without applying wp_kses, esc_html, or equivalent WordPress escaping functions before rendering.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires an authenticated account with elevated privileges on the target WordPress site. The attacker submits a crafted payload through a plugin form or setting that stores the value in the database. When another user, typically an administrator, browses the affected page, the browser parses the payload as executable script. Technical details are available in the Patchstack Vulnerability Report.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-46229
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected <script>, onerror, or onload attributes appearing in Textmetrics plugin fields or database records
- Outbound HTTP requests from admin browser sessions to unfamiliar domains after loading plugin-controlled pages
- New or modified WordPress administrator accounts created shortly after a privileged user accessed the affected plugin views
Detection Strategies
- Query the wp_options and plugin-specific tables for HTML tags or JavaScript event handlers in fields that should contain plain text
- Review web server access logs for POST requests to Textmetrics endpoints containing URL-encoded script fragments
- Inspect rendered admin pages with a content security policy in report-only mode to surface unexpected inline script execution
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable WordPress audit logging to track privileged user activity against the Textmetrics plugin
- Alert on newly created administrator accounts, changed user roles, or modified wp_users records
- Monitor for anomalous session token reuse or admin actions originating from unfamiliar IP addresses
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-46229
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the Textmetrics (webtexttool) plugin to a version later than 3.6.2 once the vendor publishes a fixed release
- Audit accounts with edit_posts or higher privileges and remove any that are unnecessary or inactive
- Review Textmetrics-managed content for stored payloads and purge suspicious entries from the database
Patch Information
Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for current patch availability. Until a fixed version is confirmed, apply the workarounds below.
Workarounds
- Deactivate and remove the Textmetrics plugin if it is not required for business operations
- Restrict access to the plugin's administrative pages using a web application firewall rule or WordPress capability filter
- Enforce a strict Content Security Policy in the WordPress admin area to block inline script execution
- Enable two-factor authentication for all privileged WordPress accounts to limit the impact of session hijacking
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.