CVE-2025-27323
📋 TL;DR
This DOM-based Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the WP About Author WordPress plugin allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability affects all WordPress sites using WP About Author plugin versions up to 1.5, potentially compromising user sessions and site integrity.
💻 Affected Systems
- WP About Author 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 credentials, deface websites, redirect users to malicious sites, or install backdoors for persistent access.
Likely Case
Session hijacking of logged-in users, cookie theft, or displaying malicious content to visitors.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper Content Security Policy (CSP) headers and input validation in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
DOM-based XSS typically requires user interaction but can be automated through social engineering.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 1.6 or later
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins. 3. Find WP About Author and update to version 1.6 or later. 4. Verify update completes successfully.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable WP About Author Plugin
allTemporarily disable the vulnerable plugin until patched
wp plugin deactivate wp-about-author
Implement Content Security Policy
allAdd CSP headers to mitigate XSS impact
Add to .htaccess: Header set Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'"
Add to wp-config.php: header("Content-Security-Policy: default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'");
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) with XSS protection rules
- Monitor for suspicious user input patterns and block malicious payloads
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin panel > Plugins > Installed Plugins for WP About Author versionCheck Version:
wp plugin get wp-about-author --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify WP About Author plugin version is 1.6 or higher in WordPress admin📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual POST/GET requests with script tags
- Multiple failed login attempts after plugin access
- Unexpected iframe or script injections in page source
Network Indicators:
- Suspicious JavaScript payloads in HTTP requests
- Unexpected redirects to external domains
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress.log" AND ("wp-about-author" OR "script" OR "javascript:") AND status=200