CVE-2025-14793 Overview
The DK PDF – WordPress PDF Generator plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) in all versions up to and including 2.3.0 via the addContentToMpdf function. This vulnerability allows authenticated attackers with author-level permissions or above to make web requests to arbitrary locations originating from the web application, which can be leveraged to query and modify information from internal services.
Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can exploit this SSRF vulnerability to bypass network security controls and access internal services, potentially exposing sensitive data or enabling lateral movement within the network infrastructure.
Affected Products
- DK PDF – WordPress PDF Generator plugin versions up to and including 2.3.0
- WordPress installations using vulnerable DK PDF plugin versions
- Internal services accessible from the WordPress server
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-01-16 - CVE-2025-14793 published to NVD
- 2026-01-16 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-14793
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability is classified as Server-Side Request Forgery (CWE-918), which occurs when an application fetches a remote resource without properly validating user-supplied input. In this case, the addContentToMpdf function within the DK PDF plugin fails to adequately sanitize or restrict URLs before making server-side requests during PDF generation operations.
The vulnerable code path exists in the plugin's PDF generation workflow, specifically within the DocumentBuilder.php module at line 213 and related template handling in dkpdf-index.php. When processing content for PDF generation, the plugin makes HTTP requests based on user-controlled input without sufficient validation of the target destination.
Root Cause
The root cause of this vulnerability lies in insufficient input validation within the PDF generation pipeline. The addContentToMpdf function accepts URL parameters that are used to fetch external content during PDF creation. The function does not implement proper allowlisting of permitted domains, URL scheme restrictions, or validation against internal IP addresses and hostnames, allowing attackers to direct requests to arbitrary destinations including internal network resources.
Attack Vector
The attack requires authenticated access with at least author-level privileges on the WordPress installation. An attacker can craft malicious requests through the PDF generation functionality to:
- Probe internal network infrastructure by requesting internal IP addresses and hostnames
- Access cloud metadata endpoints (e.g., 169.254.169.254) to retrieve instance credentials
- Interact with internal services that trust requests from the WordPress server
- Bypass firewall rules by using the server as a proxy for internal requests
The vulnerability is exploited through the network attack vector, requiring no user interaction beyond the initial authenticated request. The attack can affect resources beyond the vulnerable component's security scope, enabling information disclosure from internal services.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-14793
Indicators of Compromise
- Unusual outbound HTTP/HTTPS requests from the WordPress server to internal IP ranges (e.g., 10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12, 192.168.0.0/16)
- Requests to cloud metadata endpoints (169.254.169.254) originating from the web application
- PDF generation requests containing suspicious URL parameters pointing to internal resources
- Unexpected network connections from the web server to internal services on non-standard ports
Detection Strategies
- Monitor web application logs for PDF generation requests containing internal IP addresses or localhost references
- Implement network-level monitoring for outbound connections from the WordPress server to internal network segments
- Review WordPress activity logs for author-level users making unusual PDF generation requests
- Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect SSRF attack patterns in request parameters
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable detailed logging for the DK PDF plugin's PDF generation functionality
- Configure network segmentation monitoring to alert on unexpected cross-segment traffic from web servers
- Implement DNS query logging to detect resolution attempts for internal hostnames from the WordPress server
- Monitor for patterns consistent with SSRF exploitation such as sequential IP address scanning or metadata endpoint access
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-14793
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the DK PDF – WordPress PDF Generator plugin to a patched version when available
- Temporarily disable the DK PDF plugin if PDF generation functionality is not critical
- Implement network-level restrictions to prevent the WordPress server from accessing internal services
- Review user accounts with author-level or higher privileges and remove unnecessary access
Patch Information
Organizations should monitor the official WordPress plugin repository for security updates to the DK PDF plugin. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 2.3.0. Technical details about the vulnerable code can be reviewed in the WordPress DK PDF Document Builder and related modules. Additional analysis is available from Wordfence Vulnerability Analysis.
Workarounds
- Implement egress filtering on the WordPress server to restrict outbound connections to only necessary external services
- Configure the web server to block requests to private IP ranges and localhost from the application layer
- Restrict author-level account creation and review existing accounts with elevated privileges
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with SSRF detection rules to filter malicious requests
# Example iptables rules to restrict outbound connections from web server
# Block connections to private IP ranges from the web application user
iptables -A OUTPUT -m owner --uid-owner www-data -d 10.0.0.0/8 -j DROP
iptables -A OUTPUT -m owner --uid-owner www-data -d 172.16.0.0/12 -j DROP
iptables -A OUTPUT -m owner --uid-owner www-data -d 192.168.0.0/16 -j DROP
iptables -A OUTPUT -m owner --uid-owner www-data -d 169.254.169.254 -j DROP
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
