CVE-2025-57935 Overview
CVE-2025-57935 is a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Ricky Dawn Bot Block – Stop Spam Referrals in Google Analytics WordPress plugin. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 2.6. It is classified under [CWE-79], improper neutralization of input during web page generation.
An authenticated attacker with high privileges can inject malicious script content that persists in the plugin's stored data. When another user renders the affected page, the injected script executes in their browser session. The scope-changed nature of the flaw allows the payload to affect resources outside the vulnerable component.
Critical Impact
A high-privileged attacker can store JavaScript payloads that execute in the browsers of administrators or visitors, enabling session theft, forced actions, and defacement.
Affected Products
- Ricky Dawn Bot Block – Stop Spam Referrals in Google Analytics plugin for WordPress
- All versions up to and including 2.6
- WordPress sites where the plugin is installed and activated
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-09-22 - CVE-2025-57935 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-57935
Vulnerability Analysis
The plugin fails to neutralize user-supplied input before rendering it into WordPress admin pages. Input submitted by an authenticated user with sufficient privileges is stored server-side and later returned to the browser without contextual output encoding.
When a WordPress administrator or other viewer loads the affected admin view, the stored payload executes in the DOM under the site's origin. This grants the payload access to session cookies, WordPress nonces, and the REST API within the victim's authenticated session. Exploitation requires user interaction, since the payload runs only when a victim visits the affected page.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing or insufficient output escaping in the plugin's admin interface. Values written into HTML contexts are not passed through WordPress escaping helpers such as esc_html(), esc_attr(), or wp_kses(). Input validation on the write path is also absent, allowing script tags and event handler attributes to persist in plugin settings storage.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires an attacker to hold a high-privilege WordPress account, such as an administrator on a multi-admin site or a compromised privileged credential. The attacker submits a payload through a vulnerable plugin field. The payload is stored and later executed when any user with access renders the affected page. The scope change indicates the payload can act on resources beyond the plugin, including the wider WordPress administration surface.
No verified exploit code is publicly available for this issue. Refer to the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Advisory for advisory details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-57935
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected <script> tags, javascript: URIs, or event handler attributes such as onerror and onload stored in WordPress wp_options rows associated with the plugin.
- Outbound HTTP requests from administrator browsers to unfamiliar domains shortly after loading the plugin's settings page.
- Creation of new administrator accounts or unexpected changes to WordPress user roles following admin sessions.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect plugin configuration values in the database for HTML or script content that should not appear in text fields.
- Review WordPress access logs for POST requests to plugin admin endpoints originating from privileged accounts that later coincide with anomalous admin activity.
- Deploy a web application firewall rule that flags stored XSS patterns in plugin settings write operations.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable audit logging for WordPress option changes and plugin setting updates to correlate write events with the actor.
- Monitor administrator browser sessions for unusual REST API calls to /wp-json/wp/v2/users or /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php.
- Alert on new privileged user creation, role elevation, and unexpected outbound requests from wp-admin pages.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-57935
Immediate Actions Required
- Deactivate the Bot Block – Stop Spam Referrals in Google Analytics plugin until a fixed version is available.
- Audit all administrator accounts, remove unused privileged users, and rotate credentials for any account suspected of compromise.
- Review plugin settings in the database and remove any stored HTML or JavaScript content from configuration fields.
Patch Information
At the time of NVD publication, no vendor-supplied patched version beyond 2.6 is referenced in the advisory. Consult the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Advisory for updates on fixed releases. Replace the plugin with a maintained alternative if a patch is not published.
Workarounds
- Restrict administrative access to WordPress by enforcing multi-factor authentication and IP allowlists on /wp-admin.
- Deploy a web application firewall with rules that block script tags and event handler attributes in plugin option write requests.
- Apply a strict Content Security Policy that disallows inline scripts to limit payload execution in the WordPress admin interface.
# Content Security Policy header example for WordPress admin
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.
