CVE-2025-46240 Overview
CVE-2025-46240 is a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Jeff Starr Simple Download Counter WordPress plugin. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 2.2 [CWE-79]. Authenticated attackers with low-level privileges can inject malicious scripts that execute in the browsers of users viewing affected pages. The vulnerability results from improper neutralization of user-supplied input during web page generation. Successful exploitation requires user interaction and can lead to session theft, credential harvesting, or unauthorized actions performed in the context of the victim.
Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can inject persistent JavaScript payloads that execute in the browsers of site visitors and administrators, enabling account takeover through stored XSS.
Affected Products
- Plugin-planet Simple Download Counter (WordPress plugin)
- All versions from n/a through 2.2
- WordPress sites with the simple-download-counter plugin installed
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-04-22 - CVE-2025-46240 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-46240
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in the Simple Download Counter plugin for WordPress, developed by Jeff Starr (Plugin-planet). The plugin tracks download statistics for files hosted on WordPress sites. The flaw allows an authenticated user with low privileges to submit input that the plugin renders to a web page without proper sanitization or output encoding. Because the malicious payload is stored server-side, it executes each time an affected page loads in a victim's browser. Attackers can leverage this to run arbitrary JavaScript in the security context of the WordPress site.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper neutralization of input during web page generation [CWE-79]. The plugin fails to sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in the HTML output. WordPress provides escaping functions such as esc_html(), esc_attr(), and wp_kses() that must be applied to any data reflected into pages. Simple Download Counter through version 2.2 does not consistently apply these controls to the affected input field, allowing HTML and script content to be persisted and later rendered verbatim.
Attack Vector
An attacker requires an authenticated account with low privileges on the target WordPress site. The attacker submits a crafted payload containing JavaScript through the vulnerable plugin input. The payload is stored in the WordPress database. When an administrator or other user views the page containing the injected content, the script executes in their browser. The scope change indicates that the injected script can affect resources beyond the vulnerable component, including administrative sessions. Exploitation requires user interaction because the payload only fires when a victim loads the affected page.
See the Patchstack XSS Vulnerability Report for additional technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-46240
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected <script> tags, event handlers (onerror, onload), or JavaScript URIs stored in plugin-managed database fields.
- Outbound requests from administrator browser sessions to attacker-controlled domains shortly after visiting plugin-managed pages.
- New or modified WordPress administrator accounts created without a corresponding audit trail.
- Unexpected changes to plugin settings or download counter records.
Detection Strategies
- Audit WordPress database tables associated with Simple Download Counter for HTML or JavaScript content in fields expected to hold plain text.
- Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) with rules that inspect POST parameters submitted to plugin endpoints for XSS patterns.
- Enable and monitor WordPress activity logs for suspicious content submissions by low-privilege authenticated users.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor administrator authentication events for anomalous session activity, including logins from unusual geolocations or devices.
- Track browser Content Security Policy (CSP) violation reports to identify blocked script execution attempts.
- Alert on modifications to WordPress user roles, capabilities, or the wp_users table.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-46240
Immediate Actions Required
- Identify all WordPress installations running the Simple Download Counter plugin version 2.2 or earlier.
- Deactivate the plugin until a patched version is available and installed.
- Rotate credentials for administrator accounts that may have accessed pages containing plugin-managed content.
- Review recent plugin submissions for injected script payloads and remove any malicious entries.
Patch Information
At the time of publication, no vendor patch is referenced in the CVE record. Site operators should monitor the Patchstack advisory and the plugin's WordPress.org page for a fixed release. Apply the vendor patch as soon as it becomes available.
Workarounds
- Uninstall the Simple Download Counter plugin and replace it with a maintained alternative if a patch is not available.
- Restrict low-privilege user accounts and enforce least-privilege access controls to limit who can interact with the plugin.
- Deploy a WAF with XSS filtering rules to block script payloads submitted to plugin endpoints.
- Implement a strict Content Security Policy (CSP) header to reduce the impact of injected scripts.
# Example CSP header to restrict inline script execution
Header set Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'; object-src 'none'; base-uri 'self'; frame-ancestors 'self'"
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
