Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A WordPress plugin called Fade Slider, versions up to and including 2.5, has a flaw that lets an attacker craft a malicious link. If a logged-in site visitor or admin clicks it, the attacker's code runs in their browser session, potentially hijacking accounts or defacing pages on sites that still use this plugin.
Executive priority
Treat as moderate priority. Risk is real but contained to sites still running this niche plugin and requires a user to click a crafted link. Direct IT to inventory, disable the plugin, and monitor for vendor guidance; no emergency response is warranted absent evidence of targeting.
Technical view
CVE-2025-49956 is a reflected cross-site scripting (XSS) flaw (CWE-79) in the Fade Slider WordPress plugin through 2.5. CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.1 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L). The scope-changed vector indicates the injected script can affect resources beyond the vulnerable component when a victim is lured to a crafted URL.
Likely exposure
Limited to WordPress sites that have the Anandaraj Balu Fade Slider plugin installed and active at version 2.5 or earlier. The plugin appears to have a small user base, so blast radius is narrow, but any exposed site administrator or editor could be targeted via a crafted link.
Exploitation context
No public evidence of active exploitation; CVE is not in CISA KEV. Attack requires user interaction (a victim clicking a malicious link) and no authentication on the attacker side. Patchstack has cataloged the issue, but the source bundle does not name a fixed version, suggesting remediation guidance should come from the vendor or Patchstack advisory.
Researcher notes
Source bundle lists affected versions as "0" with default status "unaffected," which is inconsistent with the title's "<= 2.5" claim, so authoritative version range should be confirmed via the Patchstack advisory. No CPEs, no fixed version, and no PoC are referenced. Scope:Changed in the CVSS vector implies impact can cross the plugin's security boundary into the broader WordPress session context.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory WordPress sites for the Fade Slider plugin and confirm installed version.
- Deactivate and remove Fade Slider 2.5 or earlier until a vendor fix is confirmed.
- Check Patchstack and the vendor page for an updated, patched release.
- Apply a WAF rule or virtual patch that blocks reflected XSS payloads to plugin endpoints.
- Restrict admin and editor access to trusted networks where feasible.
Validation and detection
- Use wp-cli or the admin UI to list active plugins and flag any Fade Slider <= 2.5 installs.
- Review web server logs for unusual query strings targeting fade-slider URLs.
- After remediation, re-test the affected parameters with a benign payload in a staging site.
- Confirm WAF or security plugin logs reflect blocked XSS attempts post-mitigation.
- Re-run an authenticated vulnerability scan to verify the finding no longer reproduces.
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-2025-49956 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
- High
- CVSS
- 7.1 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L2.83.7Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.1HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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.