CVE-2025-10302 Overview
CVE-2025-10302 affects the Ultimate Viral Quiz plugin for WordPress in all versions up to and including 1.0. The vulnerability is a Cross-Site Request Forgery [CWE-352] flaw caused by missing or incorrect nonce validation in the save_options() function. Unauthenticated attackers can update the plugin's settings by tricking a site administrator into clicking a crafted link or visiting a malicious page. Exploitation requires user interaction from a privileged user but no authentication on the attacker's side.
Critical Impact
Successful exploitation allows attackers to modify plugin configuration settings without authorization, potentially altering quiz behavior and site content presented to visitors.
Affected Products
- WordPress plugin: Ultimate Viral Quiz
- Affected versions: all releases through 1.0
- Vulnerable component: save_options() in bestbugcore/classes/options.class.php
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-10-03 - CVE-2025-10302 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-10302
Vulnerability Analysis
The Ultimate Viral Quiz plugin exposes a settings update handler that does not verify the origin of incoming requests. The save_options() function processes administrator-level configuration changes but omits WordPress nonce verification. Without a valid nonce check, the server cannot distinguish between an intentional admin action and a request forged by a third-party site. An attacker who lures a logged-in administrator to a controlled page can trigger settings updates using the administrator's active session cookies.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing Cross-Site Request Forgery protection [CWE-352] in the plugin's options handler. WordPress provides wp_nonce_field() and check_admin_referer() primitives specifically to prevent this class of attack, but the plugin's save_options() implementation does not invoke these validation routines. The absence of any anti-CSRF token means the browser's automatic transmission of authentication cookies is sufficient to authorize state-changing requests.
Attack Vector
Exploitation is network-based and requires user interaction. An attacker crafts an HTML page or email containing a form or image tag that submits a POST request to the vulnerable settings endpoint on the target WordPress site. When an authenticated administrator visits the attacker-controlled resource, the browser submits the request with the admin's session cookies attached. The plugin accepts the forged request and applies the attacker-supplied configuration values.
The vulnerability is described in prose only; no verified public proof-of-concept code is available. Technical details of the vulnerable handler are referenced in the WordPress Code Review and the Wordfence Vulnerability Report.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-10302
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected changes to Ultimate Viral Quiz plugin settings without a corresponding administrator action in audit logs
- HTTP POST requests to the plugin's options endpoint with Referer headers pointing to external domains
- Administrator sessions generating settings updates immediately after visits to unrelated external sites
Detection Strategies
- Enable WordPress activity logging plugins to record all administrative configuration changes with timestamps and source IP addresses
- Inspect web server access logs for POST requests to the plugin's admin endpoints missing valid _wpnonce parameters
- Correlate administrator browser history and email activity with the timing of unauthorized setting changes
Monitoring Recommendations
- Alert on any changes to Ultimate Viral Quiz plugin options tables in the WordPress database
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall rule that blocks POST requests to the plugin's options handler when the Referer header is external or absent
- Review WordPress admin user activity for anomalous configuration changes on a scheduled cadence
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-10302
Immediate Actions Required
- Deactivate and remove the Ultimate Viral Quiz plugin until a patched version becomes available
- Instruct administrators to log out of the WordPress admin panel when not actively performing management tasks
- Restrict administrative access to the WordPress dashboard by IP allowlisting where feasible
Patch Information
No patched release is identified in the available CVE data as of the last modification date. Site owners should monitor the Wordfence Vulnerability Report and the plugin's official WordPress.org page for an updated release addressing the missing nonce validation in save_options().
Workarounds
- Remove the plugin from production sites until an official fix is published
- Use a Web Application Firewall to enforce Referer and Origin header validation on WordPress admin POST requests
- Configure browsers used by administrators to isolate WordPress admin sessions from general browsing activity
- Apply the principle of least privilege by limiting the number of accounts with administrator capabilities
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
