CVE-2025-10050 Overview
CVE-2025-10050 is a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability in the Developer Loggers for Simple History plugin for WordPress. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 0.5 and stems from unsafe handling of the enabled_loggers parameter. Authenticated attackers with Administrator-level access can include and execute arbitrary .php files residing on the server. This capability enables adversaries to bypass access controls, read sensitive data, and achieve code execution when combined with a file upload primitive. The weakness maps to Path Traversal [CWE-22].
Critical Impact
Administrator-authenticated attackers can execute arbitrary PHP code on the underlying server by abusing the enabled_loggers parameter to include local .php files.
Affected Products
- Developer Loggers for Simple History WordPress plugin, versions ≤ 0.5
- WordPress sites with the plugin installed and activated
- Multi-site WordPress deployments running the affected plugin
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-09-17 - CVE-2025-10050 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-10050
Vulnerability Analysis
The Developer Loggers for Simple History plugin exposes an administrative setting that accepts logger identifiers through the enabled_loggers parameter. The plugin uses that user-controlled value to construct a file path and includes the resolved PHP file at runtime. Because the parameter is not restricted to an allow-list of expected logger files, an attacker can supply traversal sequences or arbitrary paths that resolve to other .php files on the filesystem. Execution occurs within the WordPress request context, giving the attacker the privileges of the web server user.
Exploitation requires Administrator privileges, which raises the attack barrier but does not eliminate risk. Compromised administrator credentials, session hijacking, or a second-stage privilege escalation can each satisfy this precondition. Once triggered, the vulnerability supports post-exploitation objectives including sensitive file disclosure, configuration exfiltration, and full remote code execution when the attacker can stage a .php payload through media uploads or writable directories.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing input validation on the enabled_loggers parameter before it is passed to a PHP include or require construct. The plugin trusts values submitted from the settings interface without normalizing the path or verifying membership in a fixed set of known logger modules.
Attack Vector
The attack is delivered over the network through the WordPress administrative interface. An authenticated Administrator submits a crafted value for enabled_loggers pointing to an existing .php file on the server. The plugin includes that file, and any top-level PHP within it executes. See the Wordfence Vulnerability Report for additional technical context.
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Stop Exploit AttemptsDetection Methods for CVE-2025-10050
Indicators of Compromise
- Requests to WordPress admin endpoints containing suspicious values in the enabled_loggers parameter, especially path traversal sequences such as ../.
- New or modified .php files in wp-content/uploads/ or other writable directories following administrative activity.
- Unexpected PHP process activity spawned by the web server user after plugin configuration changes.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect web server and WordPress audit logs for POST requests that modify plugin settings and include non-standard logger identifiers.
- Monitor for outbound network connections initiated by the PHP interpreter shortly after plugin option updates.
- Alert on the creation of PHP files in media upload directories, which is atypical for WordPress content workflows.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable and centralize WordPress administrative action logs, including plugin option changes.
- Deploy file integrity monitoring on the WordPress installation directory and wp-content/plugins/developer-loggers-for-simple-history/.
- Correlate administrator authentication events with subsequent settings changes to identify anomalous configuration activity.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-10050
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the Developer Loggers for Simple History plugin to a version later than 0.5 as soon as the vendor publishes a fixed release.
- Audit all WordPress Administrator accounts, remove unused accounts, and enforce multi-factor authentication.
- Review recent plugin option changes and filesystem modifications for signs of exploitation.
Patch Information
A vendor changeset is tracked in the WordPress plugin repository. Review the fix commit at the WordPress Plugin Changeset and apply the released version once available. Confirm the plugin version in the WordPress admin dashboard after updating.
Workarounds
- Deactivate and remove the Developer Loggers for Simple History plugin until a patched release is deployed.
- Restrict Administrator access to trusted IP ranges through web server or WAF rules.
- Set the DISALLOW_FILE_MODS constant in wp-config.php to block plugin changes from the admin UI during triage.
- Configure open_basedir in PHP to limit include paths to the WordPress installation directory, reducing the reach of a successful LFI.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
