Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2025-53224 is a reflected cross-site scripting issue in the WordPress NextGEN Gallery Search plugin through version 2.12. An attacker could trick a user into opening a malicious link that causes script execution in the site context. This is high severity, but the bundle does not show confirmed active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority web application issue for any WordPress site using the affected plugin. Prioritize externally exposed marketing, customer, or high-trust sites because XSS can damage user trust and support session or content manipulation risks.
Technical view
The issue is CWE-79 improper input neutralization during web page generation in Koen Schuit NextGEN Gallery Search, package nextgen-gallery-search-galleries, through <=2.12. CVSS 3.1 is 7.1: network reachable, low complexity, no privileges, user interaction required, changed scope, and low confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to WordPress sites running NextGEN Gallery Search through version 2.12. The bundle does not identify NextGEN Gallery itself as affected, only the search plugin package. Public-facing sites using the plugin are the primary concern.
Exploitation context
The source bundle lists KEV as false and provides no cited evidence of active exploitation. The CVSS vector indicates exploitation is remotely reachable without attacker authentication, but requires user interaction, consistent with reflected XSS risk.
Researcher notes
Evidence is narrow but sufficient for classification: Patchstack and CVE data identify reflected XSS in the NextGEN Gallery Search plugin through 2.12. No source bundle item names a patched version, exploit sample, or active exploitation. Avoid broadening scope beyond the plugin package.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory WordPress sites for nextgen-gallery-search-galleries versions through 2.12.
- Check Patchstack and vendor guidance for a fixed release or official workaround.
- Disable or remove the affected plugin where operationally acceptable until guidance is available.
- Reduce exposure of affected search pages if they are not business-critical.
- Warn administrators and users not to open untrusted links to affected pages.
Validation and detection
- Confirm the installed plugin name, slug, and version on each WordPress site.
- Verify whether public pages use the NextGEN Gallery Search functionality.
- Review web logs for unusual referrers or links targeting gallery search pages.
- Track CVE and Patchstack updates for exploit or patch status changes.
- Do not assume NextGEN Gallery core is affected unless new sources confirm it.
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-2025-53224 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.
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.