CVE-2025-9562 Overview
CVE-2025-9562 is a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Redirection for Contact Form 7 plugin for WordPress. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 3.2.6 and resides in the plugin's qs_date shortcode. Insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user-supplied attributes allow authenticated attackers with contributor-level access or higher to inject arbitrary JavaScript into pages. The injected script executes in the browser of any user who views the affected page [CWE-79].
Critical Impact
Contributor-level attackers can persist malicious scripts in WordPress pages, enabling session hijacking, credential theft, and administrative account takeover when privileged users visit the content.
Affected Products
- Redirection for Contact Form 7 WordPress plugin, versions up to and including 3.2.6
- WordPress sites running the vulnerable plugin with contributor-level or higher user accounts
- Any site exposing the qs_date shortcode functionality to authenticated content authors
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-10-18 - CVE-2025-9562 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-10-08 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-9562
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in the qs_date shortcode handler within the Redirection for Contact Form 7 plugin. The handler accepts user-supplied attributes and renders them into the page output without applying adequate sanitization or escaping routines. Because WordPress shortcodes can be embedded in post content by any user with the edit_posts capability, contributors can place a crafted shortcode containing script payloads into draft content.
When an editor, administrator, or site visitor renders a page containing the malicious shortcode, the browser executes the attacker-controlled JavaScript in the context of the WordPress origin. This enables cookie theft, forced administrative actions through authenticated requests, DOM manipulation, and persistence of attacker code into additional site resources.
The scope is marked as changed in the CVSS vector because the executing script crosses from the content author's trust boundary into the viewer's authenticated session. For a Contact Form 7 deployment, that viewer frequently holds administrator privileges.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper neutralization of input during web page generation [CWE-79]. The shortcode processor in wpcf7r-functions.php passes attribute values to output rendering without invoking WordPress escaping functions such as esc_html(), esc_attr(), or wp_kses(). See the WordPress Plugin Code Reference for the vulnerable source location.
Attack Vector
An authenticated attacker with contributor-level access authors a post or page that embeds the qs_date shortcode with a malicious attribute payload. The attacker submits the content for review or publishes it directly if their role permits. When any user renders the page, the browser parses and executes the injected script under the site's origin. The attack requires low privileges, no user interaction beyond normal content viewing, and is delivered over the network.
No verified public exploit code is available. Technical details are documented in the Wordfence Vulnerability Report.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-9562
Indicators of Compromise
- Post or page content containing [qs_date ...] shortcode entries with suspicious attribute values such as inline <script> tags, javascript: URIs, or encoded payloads
- Unexpected outbound requests from browsers viewing WordPress pages to attacker-controlled domains
- New administrator accounts, modified user roles, or altered plugin or theme files following contributor activity
- Session cookies or nonces appearing in web server logs or external telemetry sources
Detection Strategies
- Query the wp_posts table for post_content entries containing the qs_date shortcode and inspect attributes for script-like payloads
- Review WordPress audit logs for contributor accounts creating or editing posts that reference the vulnerable shortcode
- Monitor rendered HTML output for inline event handlers or <script> elements that originate from shortcode expansion
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule set that inspects stored content for XSS payload patterns in shortcode attributes
- Alert on contributor-to-administrator privilege transitions and on administrator logins immediately followed by configuration changes
- Ingest WordPress and web server logs into a centralized analytics platform to correlate authoring activity with page-view-triggered browser anomalies
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-9562
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the Redirection for Contact Form 7 plugin to a version later than 3.2.6 once the vendor releases a patched build via the WordPress Plugin Page
- Audit all contributor, author, and editor accounts and remove or disable any that are not required
- Scan existing posts and pages for the qs_date shortcode and remove entries containing suspicious attribute data
- Rotate administrator passwords and invalidate active sessions if compromise is suspected
Patch Information
The vendor patch is tracked in the WordPress plugin repository. Review the WordPress Changeset Log for the fix commit, and consult the Wordfence Vulnerability Report for remediation guidance. Confirm the installed plugin version through the WordPress admin dashboard after upgrade.
Workarounds
- Deactivate the Redirection for Contact Form 7 plugin until a patched release is available if updates cannot be applied immediately
- Restrict the edit_posts capability so untrusted users cannot author content containing shortcodes
- Deploy a WordPress-aware WAF rule that strips or blocks <script> and event handler attributes inside qs_date shortcode parameters
- Apply a Content Security Policy (CSP) that disallows inline script execution to reduce impact if payloads are stored
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
