CVE-2025-14298
Stored XSS in FiboSearch WooCommerce Plugin via Shortcode
Publication date: 2025-12-20
Last updated on: 2025-12-20
Assigner: Wordfence
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
| Probability: | |
| Percentile: |
Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| thegem | thegem | * |
| fibosearch | ajax_search_for_woocommerce | 1.32.0 |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-79 | The product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
CVE-2025-14298 is a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the FiboSearch – Ajax Search for WooCommerce WordPress plugin. It occurs via the plugin's `thegem_te_search` shortcode in versions up to and including 1.32.0. The vulnerability arises because of insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user-supplied attributes. Authenticated attackers with Contributor-level access or higher can inject arbitrary web scripts into pages. These scripts execute whenever a user accesses the injected page. This vulnerability requires the premium TheGem theme with Header Builder mode enabled and the FiboSearch "Replace search bars" option enabled for TheGem integration. [1, 3]
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability allows authenticated users with Contributor-level access or above to inject malicious scripts into pages via the vulnerable shortcode. When other users visit these pages, the injected scripts execute in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, defacement, unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or theft of sensitive information. This can compromise the security and integrity of the affected WordPress site and its users.
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
This vulnerability involves Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) via the 'thegem_te_search' shortcode in the FiboSearch plugin when used with TheGem theme and specific options enabled. Detection involves checking for injected scripts in pages that use this shortcode. Since the vulnerability requires authenticated users with Contributor-level access or higher to inject scripts, monitoring for unusual or unauthorized shortcode attributes or script tags in page content is key. There are no specific commands provided in the resources to detect this vulnerability directly. However, you can audit your WordPress database for posts or pages containing the 'thegem_te_search' shortcode with suspicious script tags or attributes. For example, using WP-CLI, you might run a search query like: wp db query "SELECT ID, post_content FROM wp_posts WHERE post_content LIKE '%[thegem_te_search%<script%'" to find posts containing script tags in the shortcode. Additionally, monitoring HTTP responses for unexpected script injections on pages using this shortcode can help detect exploitation attempts. [3]
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
Immediate mitigation steps include: 1) Update the FiboSearch – Ajax Search for WooCommerce plugin to a version later than 1.32.0, as the vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.32.0. Although the changelog for version 1.32.1 does not explicitly mention a fix for this CVE, updating to the latest version is recommended to benefit from any security patches and improvements. 2) Disable the 'Replace search bars' option for TheGem integration in the FiboSearch plugin settings if you are using TheGem theme with Header Builder mode enabled, as this configuration is required for the vulnerability to be exploitable. 3) Restrict Contributor-level and higher user permissions to trusted users only, minimizing the risk of malicious shortcode injection. 4) Monitor and sanitize user inputs and shortcode attributes where possible. 5) Consider temporarily disabling the FiboSearch plugin or the affected shortcode until a confirmed patch is available. These steps reduce the risk of exploitation while awaiting or applying official fixes. [1, 3]