CVE-2025-14555
Stored XSS in WordPress Countdown Timer Plugin Allows Script Injection
Publication date: 2026-01-10
Last updated on: 2026-01-10
Assigner: Wordfence
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| wpdevart | widget_countdown | to 2.7.7 (inc) |
| unknown_vendor | countdown | to 2.7.7 (inc) |
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-2025-14555 is a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the WordPress plugin "Countdown Timer – Widget Countdown" up to version 2.7.7. It occurs because the plugin does not properly sanitize and escape user-supplied shortcode attributes, allowing authenticated users with contributor-level access or higher to inject malicious scripts. These scripts execute whenever any user views the affected page, potentially compromising site security. [3]
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can allow attackers with contributor-level access to inject arbitrary JavaScript into pages via shortcode attributes. When other users visit these pages, the malicious scripts execute in their browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, defacement, data theft, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of users. It compromises the integrity and security of the affected WordPress site. [3]
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
To detect this vulnerability, you can check if your WordPress installation uses the Countdown Timer – Widget Countdown plugin version 2.7.7 or earlier. Look for posts, pages, or widgets containing the shortcode [wpdevart_countdown] with suspicious or unexpected script tags or HTML attributes that could indicate stored XSS payloads. On the server, you can search for the plugin version by running commands like: `wp plugin list | grep widget-countdown` to identify the installed version. Additionally, scanning your WordPress content database for the shortcode usage with potentially malicious attributes can help detect exploitation attempts. There are no specific network commands provided, but monitoring HTTP responses for injected scripts in pages using this shortcode can also help detect exploitation. [1, 3]
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
The immediate step to mitigate this vulnerability is to update the Countdown Timer – Widget Countdown plugin to version 2.7.8 or later, where the security fix has been applied. This update includes proper escaping of all user-controllable output in HTML and CSS contexts to prevent XSS attacks. Additionally, restrict contributor-level and above users from inserting untrusted shortcode attributes, and consider reviewing and sanitizing existing content using the shortcode to remove any injected scripts. [1, 3]