CVE-2025-15096 Overview
The Videospirecore Theme Plugin for WordPress contains a privilege escalation vulnerability affecting all versions up to and including 1.0.6. The plugin fails to validate a user's identity before updating account details such as email addresses. Authenticated attackers with Subscriber-level access or above can modify arbitrary user email addresses, including those of administrators. After changing the target email, the attacker triggers a password reset to gain full control of the account. The flaw maps to CWE-639, Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key.
Critical Impact
A low-privileged Subscriber can take over administrator accounts and achieve full WordPress site compromise.
Affected Products
- Videospirecore Theme Plugin for WordPress, all versions through 1.0.6
- WordPress sites deploying the Videospire video streaming OTT platform theme
- Subscriber-level and higher authenticated WordPress accounts on affected sites
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-02-11 - CVE-2025-15096 published to NVD
- 2026-04-15 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-15096
Vulnerability Analysis
The Videospirecore Theme Plugin exposes an account update handler that accepts user identifiers and email values from request parameters. The handler updates the targeted account without verifying that the authenticated requester owns the account or holds an administrative capability. This is a textbook Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR) leading to account takeover.
Because WordPress sends password reset links to the email address registered on the account, an attacker who rewrites an administrator's email can then request a password reset. The reset email arrives in the attacker's inbox, and the attacker sets a new password to authenticate as the administrator.
With administrator access, the attacker can install malicious plugins, modify theme files, exfiltrate user data, and pivot to broader infrastructure compromise.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing authorization checks in the plugin's user-update endpoint. The plugin trusts a user identifier supplied in the request rather than binding the update operation to the authenticated session. WordPress capability checks such as current_user_can('edit_user', $user_id) and nonce validation are absent or insufficient on the affected code path.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based and requires only Subscriber-level authentication, a tier that many WordPress sites grant via open self-registration. The attacker submits a crafted request to the vulnerable plugin endpoint, supplying the administrator's user ID and an attacker-controlled email address. After the update succeeds, the attacker visits the WordPress login page and triggers the password reset flow against the administrator account. The reset link is delivered to the attacker's email, completing the takeover.
No exploit code is publicly available at this time, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Refer to the Wordfence Vulnerability Report for additional technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-15096
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected changes to administrator email addresses in the wp_users table
- WordPress password reset requests originating shortly after Subscriber account activity
- New administrator logins from IP addresses not previously associated with the account
- Audit log entries showing account profile updates initiated by low-privilege users
Detection Strategies
- Monitor HTTP POST requests to Videospirecore Theme Plugin endpoints that include user_id or email parameters originating from non-administrative sessions
- Compare user_email values in the WordPress database against historical baselines and alert on unauthorized changes
- Correlate password reset events with prior profile-edit requests from different user IDs
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose logging on the WordPress admin and authentication endpoints, including /wp-login.php?action=lostpassword
- Forward WordPress audit logs to a centralized SIEM or data lake for correlation across sessions and IP addresses
- Alert on any modification of accounts holding the administrator role
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-15096
Immediate Actions Required
- Deactivate the Videospirecore Theme Plugin until a patched version is installed
- Audit all WordPress user accounts and verify administrator email addresses are unchanged
- Disable open user registration or restrict the default role to a custom capability set with no plugin access
- Force password resets for all administrator accounts after confirming email integrity
Patch Information
As of the last NVD update on 2026-04-15, no fixed version beyond 1.0.6 is referenced in the available advisories. Site operators should monitor the ThemeForest product page and the Wordfence Vulnerability Report for patch availability and apply updates immediately when released.
Workarounds
- Block external access to the vulnerable plugin endpoints at the web application firewall layer until a patch is released
- Restrict the Subscriber role using a capability manager so that low-privileged users cannot reach plugin AJAX or REST handlers
- Require two-factor authentication for all administrator accounts to disrupt the password reset takeover chain
# Example WAF rule to block unauthenticated profile updates to the plugin endpoint
# Replace <plugin-endpoint> with the specific path identified in plugin source
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@contains /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php" \
"chain,phase:2,deny,status:403,id:1015096,msg:'Block Videospirecore account update'"
SecRule ARGS:action "@rx ^(videospire_update_user|update_profile)$" "chain"
SecRule &ARGS:user_id "@gt 0"
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
