Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2023-47229 is a stored cross-site scripting issue in the WordPress Top 25 Social Icons plugin through version 3.1. A contributor-level user could store script content that runs when another user views the affected area, potentially affecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability at a limited level.
Executive priority
Treat this as a moderate WordPress hygiene issue. Prioritize sites with public traffic, many authors, or weaker account controls. The main business risk is attacker-controlled script execution against administrators or visitors after contributor account abuse.
Technical view
The CVE describes authenticated contributor-or-higher stored XSS in Vyas Dipen Top 25 Social Icons <= 3.1, tracked as CWE-79. CVSS 3.1 is 6.5 with network access, low complexity, low privileges, required user interaction, changed scope, and low C/I/A impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to WordPress sites running the Top 25 Social Icons plugin version 3.1 or earlier, especially where contributor-level accounts are numerous, untrusted, or compromised. Sites not using this plugin are not indicated as affected by the provided sources.
Exploitation context
The provided bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation evidence. Exploitation requires an authenticated contributor-or-higher user and victim interaction, reducing urgency versus unauthenticated flaws but still relevant for multi-author WordPress environments.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports authenticated stored XSS only for Top 25 Social Icons <= 3.1. The source bundle does not identify a specific fixed version, exploit-in-the-wild activity, or detailed vulnerable parameter. Avoid assuming broader WordPress or unrelated social icon plugins are affected.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory WordPress sites for the Top 25 Social Icons plugin and version.
- Check vendor, WordPress, or Patchstack guidance for any fixed release or official workaround.
- Disable or remove the plugin if no supported fixed version is available.
- Restrict contributor-level access to trusted users only.
- Review recent contributor account activity for suspicious content changes.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether package top-25-social-icons is installed on each WordPress site.
- Verify installed plugin versions and flag version 3.1 or earlier.
- Review user roles for contributor-or-higher accounts that do not need access.
- Check affected pages or plugin-managed content for unexpected script-like content.
- Validate remediation by confirming the vulnerable plugin is updated, disabled, or removed.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-79: User-session and phishing behavior lookup
Client-side and session-facing weaknesses should be reviewed alongside initial-access and user-execution behaviors. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2023-47229 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 6.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L2.33.7Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
6.5MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L
Source materials
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.