CVE-2025-49442: Simple Nested Menu Stored XSS Vulnerability

CVE-2025-49442 Overview

CVE-2025-49442 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting the Mostafa Shahiri Simple Nested Menu plugin for WordPress. The flaw stems from improper neutralization of user-supplied input during web page generation, classified under [CWE-79]. An authenticated attacker with low privileges can inject persistent JavaScript payloads that execute in the browsers of users who view the affected pages. The vulnerability affects all versions of Simple Nested Menu up to and including 1.0.

Critical Impact
Attackers can persist malicious scripts in WordPress pages served by the plugin, enabling session theft, administrative action forgery, and browser-based attacks against site visitors and administrators.

Affected Products

Mostafa Shahiri Simple Nested Menu plugin for WordPress
Versions from n/a through 1.0 (inclusive)
WordPress sites with the simple-nested-menu plugin installed

Discovery Timeline

2025-06-06 - CVE-2025-49442 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-49442

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a stored XSS flaw in the Simple Nested Menu plugin. The plugin fails to sanitize or escape user-controlled input before storing it and rendering it back into the WordPress page HTML. An authenticated user with contributor-level or higher access can submit crafted input containing HTML or JavaScript. The payload persists in the plugin's stored data and executes each time an affected page loads in a victim's browser.

Because the exploit requires user interaction and the scope of the vulnerability changes when triggered, the impact extends beyond the vulnerable component. Successful exploitation compromises the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data rendered in the victim's session. Attackers commonly leverage stored XSS in WordPress plugins to hijack administrator sessions, inject SEO spam, or pivot to full site takeover.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing output encoding and input validation on menu-related fields processed by the simple-nested-menu plugin. WordPress provides sanitization helpers such as wp_kses_post(), esc_html(), and esc_attr(), but the plugin does not consistently apply them when persisting or rendering menu data.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based over HTTP or HTTPS. An authenticated attacker submits a menu entry or configuration containing an XSS payload through the plugin's administrative interface. The payload is stored in the WordPress database. When a legitimate user, including an administrator, views a page that renders the malicious menu, the script executes in their browser context under the site's origin.

No verified public exploit code is available. For technical details, see the Patchstack XSS Vulnerability Analysis.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-49442

Indicators of Compromise

Presence of <script> tags, javascript: URIs, or on* event handler attributes inside menu configuration records stored by the simple-nested-menu plugin.
Unexpected outbound requests from administrator browsers to attacker-controlled domains after loading pages that render nested menus.
New or modified WordPress administrator accounts created shortly after an authenticated low-privilege user edited menu content.

Detection Strategies

Query the WordPress database for plugin option rows and post meta associated with simple-nested-menu and search for HTML tags or JavaScript keywords in stored values.
Deploy Content Security Policy (CSP) reporting to identify inline script violations originating from pages that include nested menus.
Review web server access logs for POST requests to wp-admin/admin.php or admin-ajax.php referencing the plugin's actions from non-administrative accounts.

Monitoring Recommendations

Monitor WordPress audit logs for menu edits performed by contributor, author, or editor accounts.
Alert on modifications to plugin options tables containing script-like syntax.
Track browser-side errors and CSP violation reports from WordPress front-end pages to surface active XSS execution.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-49442

Immediate Actions Required

Deactivate and remove the Simple Nested Menu plugin until a patched release is available, since the vulnerability affects all versions through 1.0.
Audit stored menu data and remove any entries containing HTML tags, JavaScript, or suspicious attributes.
Rotate credentials and invalidate active sessions for all WordPress administrators if injection is confirmed.
Review WordPress user accounts and remove any unauthorized privileged users.

Patch Information

At the time of publication, no vendor patch is listed for Simple Nested Menu versions through 1.0. Monitor the Patchstack advisory and the WordPress plugin repository for a fixed release. Until a patch ships, treat removal as the primary remediation.

Workarounds

Restrict WordPress user roles so that only trusted administrators can edit menu content managed by the plugin.
Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule that blocks HTML and script payloads submitted to plugin endpoints.
Implement a strict Content Security Policy that disallows inline scripts on WordPress front-end pages.
Replace the plugin with an actively maintained alternative that provides equivalent nested menu functionality.

bash

# Example WordPress CLI commands to disable and remove the vulnerable plugin
wp plugin deactivate simple-nested-menu
wp plugin uninstall simple-nested-menu

# Search the database for potentially injected payloads
wp db query "SELECT option_id, option_name FROM wp_options WHERE option_value LIKE '%<script%' OR option_value LIKE '%javascript:%';"