CVE-2025-58860 Overview
CVE-2025-58860 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the KaizenCoders Enable Latex WordPress plugin that can be chained with a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attack. This vulnerability allows an attacker to trick authenticated administrators into performing unintended actions, which can result in the injection and persistence of malicious scripts within the WordPress site.
The Enable Latex plugin allows WordPress users to render LaTeX mathematical equations on their websites. Due to insufficient CSRF protections and inadequate input sanitization, attackers can craft malicious requests that, when executed by an authenticated administrator, inject persistent JavaScript payloads into the site.
Critical Impact
Attackers can leverage this CSRF-to-Stored-XSS chain to steal administrator session cookies, create rogue admin accounts, inject cryptocurrency miners, redirect visitors to phishing sites, or deface website content.
Affected Products
- KaizenCoders Enable Latex plugin versions up to and including 1.2.16
- WordPress installations with the Enable Latex plugin active
- Sites where administrators may click untrusted links while logged in
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-09-05 - CVE-2025-58860 published to NVD
- 2026-04-23 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-58860
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability combines two distinct weakness classes to create a potent attack chain. The primary vulnerability is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) flaw (CWE-352) in the Enable Latex plugin's administrative functionality. The plugin fails to properly validate the origin of requests made to its settings or configuration endpoints, allowing attackers to forge requests on behalf of authenticated administrators.
When the CSRF vulnerability is successfully exploited, it enables a secondary Stored XSS condition. The plugin does not adequately sanitize user-controllable input before storing it in the database and subsequently rendering it on pages. This allows malicious JavaScript to be persisted and executed in the browsers of any user visiting affected pages.
The attack requires user interaction—specifically, an authenticated administrator must be tricked into visiting an attacker-controlled page or clicking a malicious link while logged into their WordPress dashboard.
Root Cause
The root cause of this vulnerability stems from two security implementation failures:
Missing CSRF Token Validation: The plugin's administrative endpoints do not verify WordPress nonces (anti-CSRF tokens) before processing requests. This allows attackers to craft requests from external sites that are indistinguishable from legitimate administrative actions.
Insufficient Output Encoding: User-supplied data processed through the CSRF-vulnerable endpoint is not properly sanitized or encoded before being stored in the database and rendered in HTML context, enabling script injection.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based and requires user interaction. An attacker would typically execute this attack through the following sequence:
- Reconnaissance: The attacker identifies a WordPress site running a vulnerable version of the Enable Latex plugin
- Payload Crafting: The attacker creates a malicious webpage containing a hidden form that submits a request to the vulnerable plugin endpoint with XSS payloads embedded
- Social Engineering: The attacker tricks a WordPress administrator into visiting the malicious page (via phishing email, forum post, or other social engineering techniques)
- Automatic Submission: When the administrator visits the page, JavaScript automatically submits the forged request to the WordPress site, leveraging the administrator's active session
- Persistence: The malicious script is stored in the WordPress database
- Execution: The stored XSS payload executes whenever any user (including other administrators or site visitors) views pages where the malicious content is rendered
Since no verified proof-of-concept code is available, technical details regarding specific endpoint names and payload structures can be found in the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Report.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-58860
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected JavaScript code or <script> tags appearing in plugin settings or content areas managed by Enable Latex
- Referrer logs showing administrator sessions accessing plugin endpoints from external domains
- New administrator accounts or modified user permissions without legitimate explanation
- Browser console errors or unexpected script execution on pages using LaTeX rendering
Detection Strategies
- Review WordPress audit logs for configuration changes to the Enable Latex plugin settings, especially from unusual IP addresses or referrer sources
- Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to detect and prevent unauthorized script execution
- Scan database tables associated with the Enable Latex plugin for suspicious content containing <script>, javascript:, or event handlers like onerror
- Monitor for outbound connections to unknown domains that could indicate data exfiltration from stored XSS payloads
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable WordPress activity logging plugins to capture all administrative actions with IP addresses and timestamps
- Set up web application firewall (WAF) rules to alert on form submissions to the Enable Latex plugin from external referrers
- Configure browser-based monitoring to detect CSP violations that may indicate XSS execution attempts
- Regularly audit plugin configurations and stored content for anomalous entries
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-58860
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the Enable Latex plugin to a version newer than 1.2.16 if a patched version is available from the vendor
- Temporarily disable the Enable Latex plugin if no patch is available and LaTeX rendering is not critical to site operations
- Educate administrators about CSRF attacks and the importance of not clicking untrusted links while logged into WordPress
- Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with CSRF and XSS protection capabilities
Patch Information
At the time of this analysis, users should check the official WordPress plugin repository and the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Report for the latest patch status and updated versions. Ensure your WordPress installation is configured to receive plugin update notifications.
Workarounds
- Restrict access to WordPress administrative functions by IP address using .htaccess or server-level firewall rules
- Implement browser extensions or policies that block cross-origin form submissions for administrators
- Use a separate browser profile or private browsing mode exclusively for WordPress administration to limit session exposure
- Consider implementing additional CSRF protection at the server level using WordPress security plugins like Wordfence or Sucuri
# Example: Restrict wp-admin access by IP in .htaccess
# Place this in your WordPress root .htaccess file
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} ^/wp-admin/
RewriteCond %{REMOTE_ADDR} !^192\.168\.1\.100$
RewriteCond %{REMOTE_ADDR} !^10\.0\.0\.50$
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ - [F,L]
</IfModule>
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
