CVE-2025-47443 Overview
CVE-2025-47443 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the wpdevart Widget Countdown plugin for WordPress. The flaw affects all plugin versions up to and including 2.7.4. It stems from improper neutralization of user-supplied input during web page generation, categorized under [CWE-79].
An authenticated attacker with low privileges can inject malicious JavaScript that persists in the application. The payload executes in the browser of any user who views the affected content, potentially compromising administrator sessions.
Critical Impact
Stored XSS enables session hijacking, administrative account takeover, and persistent malicious script delivery to site visitors through the WordPress dashboard.
Affected Products
- wpdevart Widget Countdown plugin for WordPress
- All versions through 2.7.4
- WordPress sites with the vulnerable plugin activated
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-05-07 - CVE-2025-47443 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-47443
Vulnerability Analysis
The Widget Countdown plugin fails to sanitize or encode user-supplied input before rendering it in the browser. An attacker with contributor-level or higher access can inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript into plugin fields. The payload is stored in the WordPress database and executed each time a user loads the affected page.
Exploitation requires user interaction, such as an administrator viewing a page containing the countdown widget. Because the scope is changed, the injected script can affect data and users beyond the attacker's original privilege boundary. Successful exploitation can lead to session theft, forced actions on behalf of logged-in users, and defacement.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing output encoding and input validation on attributes handled by the plugin's widget rendering logic. Values submitted through the plugin's configuration are written directly into HTML output without being passed through WordPress sanitization functions such as esc_attr(), esc_html(), or wp_kses().
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based and requires authentication at the contributor level or above. An attacker crafts a countdown widget containing a JavaScript payload in a vulnerable field, such as a title or label attribute. When another user, typically an administrator, visits a page where the widget is rendered, the browser executes the stored script in the context of the WordPress site. See the Patchstack XSS Vulnerability Report for additional technical detail.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-47443
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected <script> tags, javascript: URIs, or event handler attributes (onerror, onload) stored in wp_posts, wp_postmeta, or plugin-specific database tables.
- Outbound requests from administrator browsers to unknown domains shortly after visiting pages containing countdown widgets.
- New WordPress administrator accounts or unexpected changes to user roles following widget access.
Detection Strategies
- Query the WordPress database for Widget Countdown entries containing HTML tags, encoded script fragments, or suspicious URL schemes in configuration fields.
- Review web server access logs for POST requests to plugin administration endpoints originating from low-privilege user accounts.
- Deploy a Content Security Policy (CSP) in report-only mode to surface inline script execution violations on pages that render the widget.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor WordPress audit logs for widget creation and modification events performed by contributor and author accounts.
- Alert on administrator session anomalies, including concurrent sessions from distinct IP addresses or unexpected geolocations.
- Track plugin version inventory across WordPress deployments to identify hosts still running Widget Countdown 2.7.4 or earlier.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-47443
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the Widget Countdown plugin to a version later than 2.7.4 as soon as the vendor publishes a fix.
- Audit existing countdown widgets for unexpected HTML or JavaScript content and remove any suspicious entries.
- Rotate credentials and invalidate active sessions for administrator accounts that interacted with pages containing untrusted widgets.
Patch Information
At the time of publication, the Patchstack advisory lists all versions through 2.7.4 as vulnerable. Administrators should consult the Patchstack advisory and the WordPress.org plugin repository for current patched release information.
Workarounds
- Deactivate and remove the Widget Countdown plugin until a patched version is installed.
- Restrict contributor, author, and editor roles so untrusted users cannot create or modify countdown widgets.
- Enforce a strict Content Security Policy that blocks inline scripts and restricts script sources to trusted origins.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
