This vulnerability allows an attacker to exploit a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) in the albdesign Simple Project Manager, which can lead to stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS). The vulnerability affects versions from n/a through 1.2.2 and has been classified with a CVSS score of 7.1, indicating high severity.
Risk to organizations includes unauthorized access and potential data manipulation due to the stored XSS. Given the high severity rating, organizations should prioritize patching immediately.
Currently, the exploitation status indicates that no known exploits are available, and the vulnerability is not listed in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. However, the potential impact remains significant.
Organizations should assess their risk exposure and take action to remediate this vulnerability promptly.
Vulnerability Details
The official description of CVE-2025-23497 indicates that this vulnerability is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) in the albdesign Simple Project Manager. The issue allows for stored XSS, which can affect the integrity and confidentiality of user data.
The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 7.1, classified as high severity. The attack vector for this vulnerability is network-based, and it has low attack complexity. Importantly, no privileges are required for exploitation, but user interaction is necessary.
The vulnerability affects versions of the Simple Project Manager up to and including 1.2.2, and it is classified under CWE-352.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability lies in the insufficient validation of user requests. Attackers may leverage this flaw to forge requests on behalf of users, leading to unauthorized actions within the application.
The attack vector is network-based, meaning that attackers can exploit this vulnerability remotely. The attack complexity is low, as it does not require elevated privileges, but user interaction is necessary to execute the attack.
The impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability are low, but the potential for stored XSS can lead to the exploitation of user data or session hijacking.
Risk & Impact Analysis
The real-world deployment risk for this vulnerability is significant, particularly for organizations using the affected versions of the Simple Project Manager plugin. Due to the stored XSS, attackers may gain unauthorized access to user sessions or manipulate user data.
The urgency for organizations to address this vulnerability is high, given the potential for exploitation in both public-facing and internal applications. Organizations should evaluate their exposure and prioritize remediation efforts.
The vulnerability’s blast radius could affect all users of the affected Simple Project Manager version, making it essential for organizations to act quickly.
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
All versions prior to vendor patch are affected, specifically versions up to and including 1.2.2 of the Simple Project Manager plugin.
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations should apply the latest patches provided by the vendor to remediate this vulnerability. If a patch is not available, organizations should implement workarounds such as input validation and CSRF tokens.
Furthermore, organizations can enhance their security posture by conducting regular security assessments and ensuring proper configuration of security controls.
Application security assessments can help identify and mitigate similar vulnerabilities in the future.
Detection Guidance
Organizations should monitor logs for suspicious activity related to user sessions, particularly any unauthorized actions that may indicate exploitation of this vulnerability.
Behavioral anomalies in user interactions should also be tracked, as they may signal attempts to exploit CSRF vulnerabilities.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
This vulnerability highlights the ongoing risks associated with Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks in web applications. Security teams are reminded to prioritize the implementation of CSRF protection techniques.
Organizations can benefit from resources that cover best practices in application security, such as CSRF attack prevention and the importance of security awareness training for developers.
Additionally, ongoing training and updates on security practices can help reduce the likelihood of such vulnerabilities being introduced in the future.
For organizations seeking to enhance their security posture, investing in penetration testing services can provide valuable insights into potential security weaknesses.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.

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