CVE-2025-54704 Overview
CVE-2025-54704 is a DOM-based Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Easy Elementor Addons WordPress plugin by hashthemes. The flaw affects all plugin versions up to and including 2.2.6. Attackers can inject client-side scripts that execute in the context of a victim's browser session.
The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-79] (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation). Exploitation requires low-level authenticated access and user interaction, but the impact crosses security boundaries with a scope change.
Critical Impact
Successful exploitation allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript in a victim's browser, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized actions on the WordPress site.
Affected Products
- hashthemes Easy Elementor Addons plugin for WordPress
- All versions from initial release through 2.2.6
- WordPress sites using vulnerable versions of easy-elementor-addons
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-08-14 - CVE-2025-54704 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-54704
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in the client-side handling of user-controllable input within the Easy Elementor Addons plugin. The plugin fails to properly neutralize input before it is written to the Document Object Model (DOM), enabling script execution when a victim loads a crafted page or interacts with attacker-influenced content.
Because the flaw is DOM-based, the malicious payload is processed entirely within the browser. Server-side logs may show no anomalous requests, complicating post-incident analysis. The scope change indicates that exploitation impacts resources beyond the vulnerable component, such as authenticated administrator sessions.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper neutralization of input during web page generation. Client-side JavaScript in the plugin writes untrusted data into DOM sinks without applying context-appropriate encoding or sanitization. WordPress escaping functions applied server-side do not protect against DOM sinks that reinterpret data as HTML or JavaScript.
Attack Vector
An authenticated attacker with contributor-level or similar privileges crafts input containing a malicious payload. When another user, typically an administrator or editor, views the affected page or component, the payload executes in their browser. The attack chain requires user interaction, such as loading a page rendered by the plugin.
The vulnerability mechanism is described in the Patchstack XSS Vulnerability Report. No public proof-of-concept exploit is currently available.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-54704
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected <script> tags, javascript: URIs, or event handler attributes stored in WordPress post metadata or plugin-generated content.
- Browser console errors or unexpected outbound requests to attacker-controlled domains when rendering Elementor pages.
- New or modified WordPress administrator accounts created shortly after a low-privileged user submitted content.
Detection Strategies
- Audit the wp_posts and wp_postmeta tables for suspicious HTML fragments or encoded JavaScript payloads within Easy Elementor Addons widgets.
- Deploy a Content Security Policy (CSP) with report-only mode to surface DOM-based script execution attempts.
- Correlate low-privileged user content submissions with subsequent administrator session activity in web server and application logs.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor WordPress plugin version inventory and flag any site running easy-elementor-addons at version 2.2.6 or earlier.
- Enable audit logging for content editing actions performed by non-administrator accounts.
- Track outbound HTTP requests from administrator browsers to detect callbacks to unfamiliar domains.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-54704
Immediate Actions Required
- Update Easy Elementor Addons to a version later than 2.2.6 once the vendor publishes a patched release.
- Restrict content editing capabilities to trusted users until the plugin is patched or replaced.
- Review recent content contributions from non-administrator accounts for injected scripts or suspicious markup.
Patch Information
At the time of publication, the vulnerability affects Easy Elementor Addons versions up to and including 2.2.6. Administrators should consult the Patchstack advisory and the hashthemes vendor page for updated patch availability.
Workarounds
- Disable or uninstall the Easy Elementor Addons plugin until a fixed version is available.
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to filter payloads targeting Elementor plugin endpoints and known DOM sinks.
- Enforce a strict Content Security Policy that disallows inline scripts and restricts script sources to trusted origins.
# Configuration example
# Example CSP header to reduce DOM-based XSS impact on WordPress
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.
