CVE-2025-23747
📋 TL;DR
This stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Awesome Timeline WordPress plugin allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages. When users view pages containing the injected scripts, the attacker can steal session cookies, redirect users, or perform actions on their behalf. All WordPress sites using Awesome Timeline versions up to 1.0.1 are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Awesome Timeline WordPress Plugin
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers could steal administrator session cookies, take over WordPress sites, install backdoors, deface websites, or redirect visitors to malicious sites.
Likely Case
Attackers inject malicious JavaScript that steals user session cookies or redirects visitors to phishing/malware sites when they view timeline content.
If Mitigated
With proper input validation and output encoding, malicious scripts would be neutralized before being stored or displayed to users.
🎯 Exploit Status
XSS vulnerabilities are commonly weaponized in automated attacks. The Patchstack reference shows technical details.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 1.0.2 or later
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins. 3. Find Awesome Timeline. 4. Click 'Update Now' if available. 5. If no update appears, download version 1.0.2+ from WordPress.org. 6. Deactivate and delete old version. 7. Upload and activate new version.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Awesome Timeline Plugin
allTemporarily disable the vulnerable plugin until patched
wp plugin deactivate awesome-timeline
Implement WAF Rules
allAdd web application firewall rules to block XSS payloads targeting timeline inputs
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Remove or disable the Awesome Timeline plugin entirely
- Implement strict Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to mitigate script execution
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin → Plugins → Installed Plugins. If Awesome Timeline version is 1.0.1 or earlier, you are vulnerable.Check Version:
wp plugin get awesome-timeline --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
After updating, verify Awesome Timeline version shows 1.0.2 or later in WordPress plugins list.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual POST requests to timeline endpoints with script tags
- Multiple failed XSS attempts in web server logs
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests containing <script> tags sent to /wp-content/plugins/awesome-timeline/ endpoints
SIEM Query:
source="web_server_logs" AND (uri="*awesome-timeline*" AND (content="*<script>*" OR content="*javascript:*" OR content="*onload=*"))