CVE-2025-14059: EmailKit WordPress Path Traversal Flaw

CVE-2025-14059 Overview

The EmailKit plugin for WordPress contains a critical Arbitrary File Read vulnerability via Path Traversal in all versions up to, and including, 1.6.1. This vulnerability exists due to missing path validation in the create_template REST API endpoint where user-controlled input from the emailkit-editor-template parameter is passed directly to file_get_contents() without proper sanitization. This security flaw allows authenticated attackers with Author-level permissions or higher to read arbitrary files on the server through the REST API.

Critical Impact
Attackers can read sensitive configuration files such as /etc/passwd and wp-config.php, potentially exposing database credentials, authentication keys, and other sensitive server information. The file contents are stored in post meta and can be exfiltrated through MetForm's email confirmation feature.

Affected Products

EmailKit plugin for WordPress versions up to and including 1.6.1
WordPress installations with EmailKit plugin activated
WordPress sites where users have Author-level or higher permissions

Discovery Timeline

2026-01-07 - CVE CVE-2025-14059 published to NVD
2026-01-08 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-14059

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability represents a classic Path Traversal attack vector (CWE-73: External Control of File Name or Path) within the WordPress plugin ecosystem. The vulnerable code resides in the create_template REST API endpoint within the EmailKit plugin's CheckForm.php file. When processing template creation requests, the application accepts a user-supplied file path through the emailkit-editor-template parameter and directly passes this value to PHP's file_get_contents() function without implementing any path validation or sanitization.

The attack requires authentication with at least Author-level privileges, which is a common permission level in WordPress environments with multiple contributors. Once authenticated, an attacker can craft malicious REST API requests containing path traversal sequences (such as ../) to escape the intended directory and access arbitrary files on the server's filesystem.

The exfiltration mechanism is particularly concerning—file contents are stored in WordPress post meta, which can then be retrieved through MetForm's email confirmation feature, providing attackers with a clean channel to extract sensitive data without leaving obvious traces.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the absence of input validation and path canonicalization before file operations. The emailkit-editor-template parameter accepts arbitrary user input that is directly consumed by the file_get_contents() function. The code fails to implement essential security controls such as:

Input validation to reject path traversal sequences
Path canonicalization to resolve relative paths before validation
Allowlist-based validation restricting file access to intended directories
Proper sanitization of user-supplied file paths

Attack Vector

The attack is network-accessible and requires authentication with Author-level privileges or higher. An attacker would interact with the create_template REST API endpoint, submitting a crafted request with the emailkit-editor-template parameter containing path traversal sequences.

The attack flow proceeds as follows: First, the attacker authenticates to WordPress with at least Author permissions. Next, they craft a REST API request targeting the vulnerable create_template endpoint with a malicious file path containing traversal sequences pointing to sensitive files. The server processes the request, reads the targeted file using file_get_contents(), and stores the contents in post meta. Finally, the attacker retrieves the exfiltrated data, potentially through MetForm's email functionality.

For technical analysis of the vulnerable code, see the WordPress Plugin Code Review.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-14059

Indicators of Compromise

Unusual REST API requests to the EmailKit create_template endpoint containing path traversal sequences such as ../ or encoded variants
Post meta entries containing unexpected file contents, particularly system files or WordPress configuration data
Unusual email activity through MetForm containing file contents or configuration data
Access log entries showing repeated API requests with encoded directory traversal patterns

Detection Strategies

Monitor REST API access logs for requests containing path traversal patterns targeting EmailKit endpoints
Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block path traversal attempts in request parameters
Review WordPress post meta for suspicious entries that may contain exfiltrated file contents
Alert on API requests containing common path traversal patterns like ../, ..%2f, or %2e%2e/

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable detailed WordPress REST API logging and monitor for anomalous request patterns
Configure file integrity monitoring on sensitive files like wp-config.php to detect unauthorized access attempts
Monitor outbound email activity for unusual attachments or content that may indicate data exfiltration
Implement rate limiting on REST API endpoints to slow potential exploitation attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-14059

Immediate Actions Required

Update the EmailKit plugin to the latest patched version immediately
Audit user accounts with Author-level or higher permissions and remove unnecessary elevated privileges
Review WordPress post meta for any signs of previous exploitation or exfiltrated data
Consider temporarily disabling the EmailKit plugin if immediate patching is not possible
Rotate database credentials and WordPress authentication keys if compromise is suspected

Patch Information

A security patch addressing this vulnerability is available. The WordPress Plugin Changeset details the specific code changes implemented to remediate this issue. WordPress site administrators should update to the latest version of EmailKit through the WordPress plugin dashboard or by downloading the updated plugin from the WordPress plugin repository.

Additional vulnerability details and remediation guidance are available from the Wordfence Vulnerability Report.

Workarounds

Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to block path traversal attempts in REST API requests
Restrict Author-level and higher permissions to trusted users only, minimizing the attack surface
Use WordPress security plugins that provide additional REST API monitoring and protection capabilities
Consider implementing server-level restrictions using .htaccess or nginx configuration to limit access to sensitive REST API endpoints

bash

# Example Apache/htaccess rule to block path traversal patterns
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (\.\./|\.\.%2f|%2e%2e) [NC]
RewriteRule .* - [F,L]
</IfModule>