# CVE-2025-31039: WordPress Category Icon plugin <= 1.0.3 - XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability

> An attacker can exploit an XML External Entity vulnerability in the Category Icon plugin to read sensitive files or cause denial of service.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 9 Jun 2025
- **Updated:** 28 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hg4j-xgv6-pcr2

## What is CVE-2025-31039?

CVE-2025-31039 is a critical vulnerability in pixelgrade Category Icon, published on 9 Jun 2025. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference vulnerability in pixelgrade Category Icon category-icon allows XML Entity Linking.This issue affects Category Icon: from n/a through <= 1.0.3.

Weakness: CWE-611 (Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-31039?


## How do I fix CVE-2025-31039?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-31039 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-31039 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-31039 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-31039 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-31039 is a critical vulnerability in pixelgrade Category Icon, published on 9 Jun 2025. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-31039 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: pixelgrade Category Icon. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-31039/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-31039/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-31039
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-31039
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-31039

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-31039/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.