CVE-2018-25437: CherryFramework Information Disclosure

CVE-2018-25437 Overview

CVE-2018-25437 is an information disclosure vulnerability in WordPress CherryFramework Themes version 3.1.4. The flaw resides in the download_backup.php script located in the admin/data_management directory. Unauthenticated attackers can directly request this endpoint to download ZIP archives containing the entire wp-content/themes directory. The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-306] Missing Authentication for Critical Function. Exploitation requires no privileges, no user interaction, and is performed over the network.

Critical Impact
Remote, unauthenticated attackers can download a ZIP archive of the WordPress themes directory, exposing theme source code, configuration data, and any sensitive files stored alongside theme assets.

Affected Products

WordPress CherryFramework Themes 3.1.4
CherryFramework admin/data_management/download_backup.php endpoint
WordPress sites bundling CherryFramework 3.x theme infrastructure

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-15 - CVE-2018-25437 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2018-25437

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability stems from a missing authentication check on a privileged administrative endpoint. CherryFramework exposes a backup utility at admin/data_management/download_backup.php that generates and serves a ZIP archive of theme files. The script does not verify that the requester holds an authenticated WordPress administrator session. Any remote client can issue a direct HTTP request to the script and receive the archive in response.

The archive contents include the full wp-content/themes directory. This exposes theme PHP source code, JavaScript, CSS, and any files placed within theme folders. Customizations, hardcoded credentials in theme configuration files, license keys, or developer notes left in theme assets become readable to the attacker.

The Exploit-DB entry #45896 documents the request pattern used to retrieve the archive. The VulnCheck WordPress Advisory provides additional context on affected installations.

Root Cause

The root cause is the absence of capability and nonce validation in download_backup.php. WordPress provides current_user_can() and check_admin_referer() functions to gate administrative actions. CherryFramework 3.1.4 omits both checks before invoking the archive generation routine, allowing direct script invocation outside the WordPress admin authentication flow.

Attack Vector

An attacker identifies a target WordPress site running CherryFramework 3.x by fingerprinting theme assets. The attacker then issues an unauthenticated HTTP GET request to the download_backup.php script path under the active theme directory. The server returns the generated ZIP archive without redirecting to the login page or returning an authorization error. The attacker extracts the archive locally and inspects theme source code for further attack opportunities.

The vulnerability mechanism is described in prose because no verified exploit code is republished here. See the Exploit-DB #45896 reference for the original proof of concept.

Detection Methods for CVE-2018-25437

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP GET requests to URIs containing admin/data_management/download_backup.php in web server access logs
Outbound responses with Content-Type: application/zip originating from theme directories
Unexpected creation of temporary ZIP archives within wp-content/themes or system temp paths
Requests to download_backup.php from IP addresses not associated with authenticated administrator sessions

Detection Strategies

Parse Apache or Nginx access logs for any request path matching download_backup.php under CherryFramework theme directories
Correlate request source IPs against the authenticated WordPress session table; flag mismatches
Inspect response sizes for the endpoint; archive payloads typically exceed several megabytes
Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule that blocks unauthenticated access to data_management script paths

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable verbose access logging on the wp-content/themes directory tree
Forward WordPress and web server logs to a centralized analytics platform for retention and search
Alert on first-seen client IPs requesting administrative theme scripts
Track file integrity changes within CherryFramework directories to detect tampering after disclosure

How to Mitigate CVE-2018-25437

Immediate Actions Required

Block all external requests to admin/data_management/download_backup.php at the web server or WAF layer
Audit web server logs for prior requests to the endpoint and assess data exposure
Rotate any credentials, API keys, or secrets that may have been stored within theme files
Remove or rename the download_backup.php script if the backup function is not required

Patch Information

No vendor patch is referenced in the available advisory data. The CherryFramework 3.x line is legacy software, and the CherryFramework homepage should be consulted for current support status. Administrators should migrate to a supported, actively maintained WordPress theme framework. Until migration is complete, the script must be restricted through server-level access controls.

Workarounds

Add a server-level deny rule, for example an Nginx location block or Apache <Files> directive, restricting download_backup.php to administrator IP ranges
Remove execute permissions on the admin/data_management directory if backup functionality is unused
Replace CherryFramework 3.1.4 with a supported theme framework that enforces WordPress capability checks
Place the WordPress administrative path behind an authenticating reverse proxy or VPN

bash

# Nginx configuration example to block unauthenticated access
location ~* /admin/data_management/download_backup\.php$ {
    deny all;
    return 403;
}

# Apache .htaccess equivalent
<Files "download_backup.php">
    Require all denied
</Files>