CVE-2025-47604 Overview
CVE-2025-47604 is a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Data443 Risk Mitigation Inline Related Posts WordPress plugin (intelly-related-posts). The flaw affects all versions up to and including 3.8.0. It stems from improper neutralization of user-supplied input during web page generation [CWE-79]. An authenticated attacker with low privileges can inject persistent JavaScript payloads that execute in the browser of any visitor rendering the affected content. Because the injected script executes within the site's origin, exploitation can lead to session hijacking, defacement, or redirection to attacker-controlled infrastructure.
Critical Impact
An authenticated low-privileged attacker can store arbitrary JavaScript that executes in visitors' browsers, enabling session theft and account takeover within the WordPress site's origin.
Affected Products
- Data443 Risk Mitigation Inline Related Posts (intelly-related-posts) WordPress plugin
- All versions from initial release through 3.8.0
- WordPress installations that expose contributor or higher accounts with plugin access
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-05-07 - CVE-2025-47604 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-47604
Vulnerability Analysis
The Inline Related Posts plugin fails to properly sanitize and encode input handled by its plugin components before rendering it within the WordPress front end or administrative interface. An attacker with authenticated access submits crafted input containing JavaScript, which the plugin stores in the database and later reflects into generated HTML without adequate escaping.
Because the payload is persistent, every user who loads the affected page executes the attacker's script within the site's origin. The vulnerability carries a changed scope, indicating that impact extends beyond the vulnerable plugin's security boundary to other users of the WordPress installation. User interaction is required, since a victim must visit the page containing the stored payload.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing or insufficient output encoding when plugin-controlled input is rendered into HTML contexts. WordPress provides escaping helpers such as esc_html(), esc_attr(), and wp_kses_post(), but the affected code paths in versions through 3.8.0 do not apply appropriate context-aware sanitization before echoing stored values.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires network access to the WordPress site and a low-privileged authenticated account, such as a contributor or editor with permission to configure plugin fields or insert related-post content. The attacker submits a payload containing script tags or event handlers. When any user, including administrators, loads a page containing the injected content, the browser parses and executes the attacker's JavaScript.
The vulnerability manifests in the plugin's input-to-output flow. Technical details are documented in the Patchstack XSS Vulnerability Report.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-47604
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected <script> tags, on* event handlers, or javascript: URIs stored within wp_posts, wp_postmeta, or plugin-specific database tables
- Outbound HTTP requests from visitor browsers to unfamiliar third-party domains sourced from WordPress pages
- New or modified administrator accounts created shortly after content authored by low-privileged users was published
- Browser console errors or Content Security Policy (CSP) violations referencing inline scripts on pages that render related posts
Detection Strategies
- Query the WordPress database for stored HTML in plugin-controlled fields and flag values containing <script, onerror=, onload=, or javascript: patterns
- Review web server access logs for POST requests to wp-admin endpoints associated with the intelly-related-posts plugin from non-administrator accounts
- Enable and monitor a Content Security Policy in report-only mode to surface unexpected inline script execution on public pages
Monitoring Recommendations
- Alert on privilege escalation events, such as role changes to administrator, correlated with recent plugin content edits
- Monitor for anomalous session activity, including administrator sessions originating from new IP addresses immediately after low-privileged users publish content
- Track plugin version inventory across managed WordPress sites and alert when Inline Related Posts remains at 3.8.0 or earlier
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-47604
Immediate Actions Required
- Identify all WordPress installations running the Inline Related Posts (intelly-related-posts) plugin and confirm the installed version
- Update the plugin to a version later than 3.8.0 once the vendor publishes a fixed release, or deactivate and remove the plugin if no patch is available
- Audit low-privileged accounts (contributor, author, editor) and revoke access for accounts that are inactive or unnecessary
- Review plugin-managed content and database fields for previously injected payloads and remove any malicious HTML
Patch Information
The vulnerability affects Inline Related Posts through version 3.8.0. Consult the vendor and the Patchstack advisory for the fixed release version and upgrade instructions.
Workarounds
- Deactivate the Inline Related Posts plugin until a patched version is installed
- Restrict plugin configuration and content-authoring capabilities to trusted administrator accounts only
- Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) rule that inspects requests to plugin endpoints and blocks payloads containing script tags or JavaScript event handlers
- Enforce a strict Content Security Policy that disallows inline scripts to reduce the impact of stored XSS payloads
# Configuration example: disable the vulnerable plugin via WP-CLI
wp plugin deactivate intelly-related-posts
wp plugin status intelly-related-posts
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
