CVE-2019-25140 – This vulnerability allows unauthenticated attac... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2019-25140?

CVE-2019-25140 has a CVSS score of 7.2 (HIGH). This vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious JavaScript into WordPress sites using the Coming Soon Page & Maintenance Mode plugin. The stored XSS executes when users visit compromised pages, potentially affecting all visitors. WordPress administrators using vulnerable plugin versions are at risk.

📋 TL;DR

This vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious JavaScript into WordPress sites using the Coming Soon Page & Maintenance Mode plugin. The stored XSS executes when users visit compromised pages, potentially affecting all visitors. WordPress administrators using vulnerable plugin versions are at risk.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

WordPress Coming Soon Page & Maintenance Mode plugin

Versions: All versions up to and including 1.8.1

Operating Systems: All platforms running WordPress

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Vulnerability exists in default plugin configuration. No special settings required for exploitation.

📦 What is this software?

Coming Soon Page \& Maintenance Mode by Wpshopmart

View all CVEs affecting Coming Soon Page \& Maintenance Mode →

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Attackers could steal administrator credentials, deface websites, redirect users to malicious sites, or install backdoors for persistent access.

🟠

Likely Case

Attackers inject malicious scripts to steal user session cookies, redirect visitors to phishing sites, or display unwanted advertisements.

🟢

If Mitigated

With proper input validation and output escaping, malicious scripts would be neutralized before execution, preventing exploitation.

🌐 Internet-Facing: HIGH

🏢 Internal Only: LOW

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ⚠️ Yes

Weaponized: LIKELY

Unauthenticated Exploit: ⚠️ Yes

Complexity: LOW

Exploitation requires no authentication and involves simple parameter manipulation. Public proof-of-concept details available in security advisories.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: 1.8.2 and later

Vendor Advisory: https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/2123149/responsive-coming-soon

Restart Required: No

Instructions:

1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins. 3. Find 'Coming Soon Page & Maintenance Mode'. 4. Click 'Update Now' if available. 5. Alternatively, download version 1.8.2+ from WordPress repository and replace plugin files.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable vulnerable plugin

all

Temporarily disable the plugin until patched

wp plugin deactivate responsive-coming-soon

Apply input filtering

all

Add custom input validation for affected parameters

Add sanitization filters in theme functions.php: add_filter('pre_update_option_rcsp_logo_url', 'sanitize_text_field');

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to block XSS payloads targeting the vulnerable parameters
Disable public access to the coming soon/maintenance page feature entirely

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check plugin version in WordPress admin → Plugins → Coming Soon Page & Maintenance Mode. If version is 1.8.1 or lower, system is vulnerable.

Check Version:

wp plugin get responsive-coming-soon --field=version

Verify Fix Applied:

Confirm plugin version is 1.8.2 or higher. Test parameter inputs with basic XSS payloads to ensure they're properly sanitized.

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Unusual POST requests to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php with parameters: logo_width, logo_height, rcsp_logo_url, home_sec_link_txt, rcsp_headline, rcsp_description containing script tags or JavaScript

Network Indicators:

HTTP requests with suspicious parameter values containing <script>, javascript:, or encoded payloads

SIEM Query:

source="wordpress.log" AND (parameter="logo_width" OR parameter="logo_height" OR parameter="rcsp_logo_url" OR parameter="home_sec_link_txt" OR parameter="rcsp_headline" OR parameter="rcsp_description") AND (payload="<script" OR payload="javascript:")

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2019-25140

CVSS v3 Score: 7.2 (HIGH)

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

CWE: CWE-79

Published: June 7, 2023

Last Updated: November 21, 2024

🔗 References

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🔗 Related Vulnerabilities

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